Tuscan Ribollita Soup
Dairy-Free (if modified), Gluten-Free (if modified), Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion or ½ onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery or 2 stalks
- 1 cup finely diced carrot or 1 carrot
- 1 leek halved, rinsed well and thinly sliced (white parts only)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh 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, see note, preferably San Marzano
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- 4 cups medium-diced russet potato, about 2 large potatoes
- 2 [15-ounce] cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, de-ribbed and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch swiss chard, de-ribbed and thinly sliced (sub another head of kale if preferred)
- 1 loaf stale bread Ciabatta is my favorite to use here; sub gluten-free bread (*see note)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional for serving)
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, leek, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook until reduced by about half, 2 more minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, the broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and the cheese rind, if using. Bring the soup to a rapid simmer.
- Once the soup is simmering, reduce to a light, steady simmer (about medium-low heat). Add the potatoes, cover and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender, discard the bay leaves and cheese rind. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender along with 1 cup of the cannellini beans. Blend until the mixture is very smooth and add back to the soup along with the remaining cannellini beans, kale, and chard.
- Stir to combine and cook, uncovered and simmering, until the kale has just wilted and the beans are tender, about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- To serve, tear or cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and place a handful of the bread pieces in the bottom of each soup bowl. Ladle the soup over the bread and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (if using), and a few cracks of fresh ground black pepper.
Notes
For the Crushed Tomatoes: Pour the can of tomatoes, undrained, into a large bowl. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes until they reach a pulp-like consistency.
For the Stale Bread: If your bread is fresh, I recommend toasting it in the oven first. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and place on a sheet pan. Bake until just toasted and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. I don’t put olive oil on it or anything, it’s really just to dry it out and make it a little crisp/stale!