Ribollita Soup is a hearty and delicious Tuscan classic. Full of vegetables and loaded with flavor, you’ll want more than one helping, I guarantee it!
I love how this dish seems fancy but is pretty simple to put together, plus with all the nutritious ingredients it makes it a favorite to feed the family. They love the added bread, and how it keeps them full and satisfied!
Ribollita Soup
This is a traditional Tuscan dish that my family just loves! This soup is a delicious combination of bread, beans and lots of vegetables. It is considered to be a peasant’s soup in Tuscany, but that doesn’t deter us. I’ll take peasant status to be able to eat this all day!
History of Ribollita Soup
The name “Ribollita” means reboiled. It originated in Tuscany and is one of their more traditional recipes. The dish is a result of the “don’t throw anything away” mentality of the Tuscan culture.
Peasants would gather the leftover bread and the juices from the leftover meals and then add whatever vegetables they had growing in the garden. The soup would cook overnight ready for consumption the next day. It could be reheated over and over and taste even better each time.
There are many variations of this soup, but the basics are the leftover bread, cannellini beans, and Tuscan kale. Added to it are inexpensive veggies such as carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion.
Tips for adding extra vegetables
This is already a pretty vegetable-packed soup, but you can always add in more carrots, celery, and kale. If you’re wanting something different or need to use up veggies you have in the fridge, go for it. Anything goes!
What do I serve with Ribollita Soup?
There are loads of delicious sides that would go great with this recipe. Here are a few favorites:
- Vegan Bruschetta
- Asparagus Fries
- Baked Vegan Eggplant Fries
- Oven Fries
- Grilled Romaine Salad with Vegan Caesar Dressing
- Avocado Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
Tips for increasing protein
While white beans are a great protein source, you can always add other types to beef it up a bit (no pun intended haha!). Things like veggie sausage, tempeh or even a veggie based bacon would be delicious. And of course if you’re a meat eater you could go that route.
What kind of bread should I use?
The best bread to use if you want that crispy edge is a whole bread loaf then cut it into pieces. They are sturdy enough to withstand the liquid and not completely melt away. I use a whole grain loaf because I love the grainy texture.
Using sandwich slices works but you’ll get a much more mushy soup. And we all know how I feel about mushy…
Of course if you are gluten free, you can either look for a gluten free loaf at your local grocery store, or you can make one yourself! This gluten-free bread mix by Simple Mills is an easy option (to keep it vegan sub flax eggs or vegan egg).
Tips for storing and reheating
This soup is a great one to have on hand for leftovers. I love making a double batch and keeping it for later in the week. It gets tastier each time you heat it up, just like the tradition says!
The only thing I would caution on is to be careful if you are not a huge mushy bread lover like me. But I have you covered! Here is how I avoid this:
- Make the soup base, stop before adding the bread and red onion.
- Keep the base in the fridge or freeze for later use.
- Keep cubed bread, chopped red onion, and Parmesan if using, prepped and ready.
- When ready to eat, bring soup back to room temp then add the bread and red onion (and Parmesan) and broil like directions say.
How To Make Ribollita Soup
- Saute the veggies.
- Add beans, tomatoes, broth and herbs.
- Add bread, red onion, and parmesan.
- Broil.
- ENJOY!
Ribollita Soup is a hearty and delicious Tuscan classic. Full of vegetables and loaded with flavor, you'll want more than one helping, I guarantee it!
- 1 ½ cups chopped sweet or yellow onion
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1- ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Drizzle of your favorite oil or broth for oil free
- 30 ounces cannellini beans , rinsed and drained (2 cans)
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes , 1 can
- 8 cups veggie broth , low sodium if needed
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bunch swiss chard , 5-6 large leaves
- 2-3 cups cubed bread , from a loaf is best (gluten-free if needed)
- ¾ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup vegan parmesan , optional for topping
- Saute onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt and pepper over medium heat with oil or broth until onion caramelizes, about 10 minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes, broth, rosemary and thyme.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 15 minutes.
- Take out the rosemary and thyme sprigs.
- Add the chard, mix in.
- Top with the cubed bread and red onion. Sprinkle with Parmesan if using.
- Broil on low for 5 minutes.
- Serve!
- You can change up the veggies in here with anything you have laying around or need to use up. Just keep the total amounts about the same!
Dora Bralich says
Sophia , my husband is your father in laws cousin. We are not totally vegan or vegetarian, however I do use some of your wonderful recipes. We have vegan days.
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Dora!! So happy to have you here!! There is no requirement to be one thing or the other, but the more plants you can get in the better!
Chelsee says
This looks so delicious! I cannot wait to make it for my family.
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you! Hope they like it!