Tuscan Ribollita Recipe – Italian Bread and Vegetable Soup

Get ready to add a new favorite to your weeknight rotation. This Tuscan Ribollita Soup is a rustic, vegetable-packed Italian classic—hearty, comforting, and full of flavor. Made with beans, leafy greens, and the traditional addition of stale bread, ribollita stands apart from other vegetable soups like minestrone. Below you’ll find a clear, SEO-friendly recipe and practical tips for making a delicious pot of Tuscan Ribollita at home.

Ribollita translates to “reboiled,” a reference to how this soup was traditionally reheated and enjoyed over several days. The bread in the soup soaks up the broth and gives the finished bowl body and texture. If you prefer, you can serve the soup without bread, or place bread in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup on top so the bread retains some bite.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (about ½ onion)
• 1 cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
• 1 cup finely diced carrot (about 1 carrot)
• 1 leek, white parts only, halved, rinsed, and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (preferably San Marzano)
• 8 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 parmesan cheese rind (optional; omit for dairy-free)
• 4 cups medium-diced russet potato (about 2 large potatoes)
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch lacinato (Tuscan) kale, de-ribbed and roughly chopped
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, de-ribbed and thinly sliced (or substitute extra kale)
• 1 loaf stale bread (ciabatta is a favorite; sub gluten-free bread if needed)
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step one: Build the flavor base

In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, leek, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the white wine and simmer until it has reduced by about half, roughly 2 minutes.

Step two: Simmer with tomatoes and potatoes

Add the hand-crushed tomatoes (including their juices), broth, fresh thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, and the parmesan rind if using. Bring the mixture to a lively simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Add the diced potatoes, cover, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Step three: Purée and finish with beans and greens

When the potatoes are tender, remove and discard the bay leaves and the parmesan rind. Transfer about 2 cups of soup to a blender along with 1 cup of the cannellini beans and blend until very smooth. Return this purée to the pot. Add the remaining cannellini beans, the chopped kale, and the Swiss chard. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted and the beans are heated through, about 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Step four: Serve

Tear or cut the stale bread into bite-sized pieces and place a handful into the bottom of each soup bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the bread so it soaks up the broth. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan if desired, and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Hand-crushed tomatoes: Pour the canned tomatoes (undrained) into a bowl and crush them with your hands until pulpy. This creates a pleasant texture—smooth with small tomato pieces—typical of traditional ribollita.
• Using fresh bread: If your bread is fresh, dry it in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. This mimics stale bread and helps the pieces hold up in the soup.
• Parmesan rind: Adding a parm rind (if not dairy-free) contributes umami and a silky mouthfeel. Remove the rind before serving.
• Freezing: Cool completely, transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags, and leave room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove, adding 1–2 cups extra broth if the soup has thickened.
• Adjusting texture: Blending part of the soup creates body while keeping plenty of whole beans and greens for texture. For a thicker soup, blend more; for a brothy soup, blend less and add extra broth as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why hand-crush the tomatoes? Hand-crushing yields a slightly chunky, natural texture rather than a uniformly smooth purée—this is traditional and gives the soup character.

Can I use fresh bread? Yes. Toast fresh bread briefly to dry and firm it up before adding to bowls so it won’t disintegrate immediately.

Is the parmesan rind necessary? No—omit it to keep the soup dairy-free. The rind simply adds depth and richness if you do use it.

Looking for more delicious soup recipes? Try these titles:

Chickpea and Farro Soup with Escarole

Easy Italian White Bean Soup

Sausage, Fennel, and White Bean Soup

Spring Green Minestrone

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana

Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.