I put on (sweat)pants for the first time in months over the weekend. After being hit by two heat waves in August and September, it’s finally starting to feel like fall. So I decided to make a big pot of ribollita – aka Tuscan bread soup – to usher in the colder weather.
The inspiration for the dish came from a recent shipment from Cal-Organic Farms (which included lacinato kale, rainbow carrots and yellow onions) and a loaf of country bread sitting in the freezer. After picking up a few other ingredients (canned tomatoes, celery and dried Italian butter beans), I had everything I needed to get cooking.
Ribollita is a humble creation that packs a punch, thanks to the addition of fresh herbs and a cheese rind to flavor the broth. And, because the soup is chock-full of vegetables and hearty bread chunks, it eats like a meal. What’s not to love about that?
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
- ½ cup dried Italian butter beans
- 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided, plus more, to taste
- ⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for finish
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 3" piece Parmesan cheese rind
- 2 pounds lacinato kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
- 8 ounces country bread, torn into large pieces
- ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Place beans in a medium bowl and cover with cold water; cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 12 hours. Drain well.
- Place beans in a medium pot and fill with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and continue simmering until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Add thyme, bay leaf and chili flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, and add to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Add Parmesan cheese rind, cooked beans, reserved tomato juice and 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
- Add kale and simmer until it wilts, about 3 minutes.
- Add one-third of the bread and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Season with additional salt to taste.
- Remove from heat and scatter remaining bread over the soup. Drizzle with olive oil and top with ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until bread is golden brown.
- Divide soup among bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese.
