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–+ servings
Classic Ribollita Recipe

Classic Ribollita Recipe

A hearty Italian soup, ribollita features cannellini beans and seasonal vegetables, making it a classic comfort food.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 bowls
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • large heavy-bottomed pan

Ingredients
  

Canellini beans

  • 150 g cannellini beans soaked in cold water overnight
  • 0.5 none onion peeled and cut in half, still attached at the root
  • 4 cloves garlic unpeeled and bashed
  • 2 none bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • none salt

Ribollita

  • none olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 pinch chilli flakes
  • 1 none onion diced
  • 1 none carrot peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
  • 2 sticks celery sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 3 none plum tomatoes quartered
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into sixths
  • 3 leaves cavolo nero roughly chopped
  • 2 leaves savoy cabbage or swiss chard, sliced
  • 1 none bay leaf
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 100 g stale bread torn into rough 3cm chunks
  • none salt
  • none pepper

Instructions
 

Method

  • Cook the cannellini beans in a pan of salted water with the onion, garlic, bay, thyme and a healthy pinch of salt for 45 minutes, or until just undercooked. Drain and reserve the cooking water. Discard the onion, garlic and herbs.
  • Add a splash of olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Gently sweat the onion, garlic, carrot and celery with the herbs, chilli flakes, fennel and a pinch of salt until soft but without colour (about 10 minutes).
  • Add the tomatoes and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the beans and reserved bean stock, topping up with water as needed. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • After this time, add the potato, cavolo nero, savoy cabbage and bread and simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until the potato is cooked. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  • For best results, chill the soup after cooking and reheat the next day. Serve with a generous drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

For more flavor, let the ribollita sit overnight before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 12gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 800mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 10gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2000IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 3mg
Keyword cannellini beans, classic, Comfort Food, ribollita, soup, Vegetarian
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