Ribollita Toscana (Traditional Tuscan Bread and Bean Soup)

Ribollita, meaning “reboiled” in Italian, originated in medieval Tuscany amongst the peasant class. Servants would collect the leftover bread and meat from their noble employers’ banquets, adding these to their vegetable soup and reboiling it. This practice evolved into a deliberate dish, becoming a cornerstone of Tuscan cucina povera (peasant cooking). Traditionally, it was made on Fridays for meatless meals, using leftover vegetables and stale bread.

Kitchen Notes

👥 Serves: 6-8 hungry souls
⏲️ Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight bean soaking)
🍳 Cooking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
📝 Difficulty Level: Moderate
🍷 Perfect for: Autumn and winter gatherings

Ribollita Toscana – Essential Ingredients

400 g dried cannellini beans (or 2 tins of cannellini beans)

2 large bunches of cavolo nero (black kale), roughly chopped

1 Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped

3 large carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped (or 400g tinned chopped tomatoes)

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

400g stale Tuscan-style bread (or good quality sourdough)

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Let’s Get Cooking!

If using dried beans, soak them overnight in cold water. The next day, drain and simmer in fresh water with a bay leaf until tender (about 1 hour).

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat a generous glug of olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook gently for 15 minutes until softened.

Add the garlic, herbs, and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they begin to break down.

Add the potatoes, cavolo nero, and cabbage. Pour in 1.5 litres of water (or bean cooking liquid if using dried beans). Bring to a simmer.

Add the cooked or tinned beans. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Tear the bread into chunks and add to the soup. Simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bread breaks down and thickens the soup.

Season generously with salt and pepper. Let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, ladle into bowls and finish with a generous drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil.

Traditional Serving Suggestions:

Ribollita Toscana should be thick enough for a spoon to stand up in it.

It’s traditionally served at room temperature.

The soup improves over 1-2 days as flavours develop.

Traditionally reheated (ribollita means “reboiled”) the next day.

Ribollita Toscana – Regional Variations:

Tuscan Coast Version:

Add fennel bulb to the base vegetables.

Use Swiss chard instead of cavolo nero.

Florentine Style:

Include fresh borlotti beans alongside cannellini.

Add pancetta to the base (though this isn’t traditional).

Modern Interpretations:

Add Parmesan rind while simmering.

Include leeks in the vegetable base.

Top with crispy sage leaves.

Ingredient Notes:

Cavolo nero is essential for authenticity, but curly kale can substitute.

The bread must be unsalted Tuscan-style bread for authenticity, but any good quality stale sourdough will work.

Quality olive oil is crucial – use the best you can afford.

Fresh dried beans are superior to tinned, but tinned are perfectly acceptable.

If seasonal, add other vegetables like pumpkin or Swiss chard.

Storage

Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavour typically improves over the first few days. Reheat gently, adding a little water if needed, and finish with fresh olive oil.

The secret to an excellent Ribollita Tosacana lies in the quality of ingredients and patience – this is not a soup to be rushed. Each stage should be given proper time to develop flavour, and the final rest period is essential for the textures to meld properly.

Featured image by Joan Nova. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 via Flickr.