Ribollita Soup
This Italian vegetarian classic soup is so comforting full of greens, beans and vegetables in tomato base. Add cheese rind for extra flavor to the soup.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion approx. 1 cup, chopped
- 1-2 medium carrots approx. 1/2 cup, chopped
- 1 zucchini approx. 1 cup, chopped
- 1 small fennel approx. 1 cup chopped
- 2 celery stalks approx. ½ cup chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red chili flakes
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano dried parsley, etc.
- 1 bay leaf optional
- Pinch sugar
- 3 cups Tuscan kale or Spinach roughly chopped
- 1 small wedge of Parmesan with rind optional but adds flavor
- ½ cup paste of tomatoes or 14 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes/diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 14- oz. can cannellini beans or 15-oz. garbanzo beans
- Few pieces of crusty bread
- Parmesan cheese grated
- Basil, Parsley or Fennel Fronds
Instructions
- In a large, heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium heat.
- Add onions, and sauté them for 5-6 minutes.
- Add chopped zucchini, carrots, fennel and celery and cook it for another 5-6 minutes. Take time to cook down the vegetables. Keep stirring in between. I like when vegetables caramelize a little bit. It adds more flavor.
- Add the bay leaf, grated garlic, Italian seasonings, red chili flakes, black pepper and salt. Stir everything.
- Add the tomato paste or diced tomatoes what ever you are using. If you are using whole peeled tomatoes, please crush them with your hands and then add them.
- Add the boiled beans and 3 cups of water. Keep stirring in between.
- Add a pinch of sugar to balance out the acidity of tomatoes. At this point, you can also add the parmesan rind to the soup. You can remove it once the soup is done.
- Add chopped greens, whatever you are using.
- Bring the soup to boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Taste and if needed add more seasonings. Adjust the consistency to your preference.
- Stir in the fresh herbs like chopped basil, parsley or fennel fronds.
- Serve it in bowls topped with crusty bread, drizzle of good olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- You can use any type of greens- Tuscan kale, spinach, chard etc
- You can also increase or decrease any vegetables to your preference. Its really a no perfect recipe kind of soup.
- I add a pinch of sugar to balance out the acidity of tomatoes, you can skip it.
- Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind before serving.
- Authentic recipes call for cannellini beans, but you can easily sub garbanzos.