Ribollita Tuscan Bean Soup Recipes

RIBOLLITA (TUSCAN BEAN SOUP)

Steps:

• Make the Lemon Garlic Rosemary Oil - place all ingredients in a small jar or bowl and let sit on the counter (or make the day before, refrigerating)
• In a large, heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and optional pancetta and saute 6-8 minutes.
• Lower heat to med-low and add the carrots, fennel (or celery) and garlic, salt, pepper and chili flakes, and cook another 7- 9 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Add the tomatoes and lacinato kale, and a splash of white wine, and continue sauteing and stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes.
• Add the stock and beans. Bring to soup to boil, turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.(You could add a Parmesan rind to the simmering soup for extra depth of flavor.)
• Stir in fresh Italian Parsley. Adjust salt if necessary.
• Serve in bowls with a drizzle of the flavorful lemon oil, grated Parmesan ( or Romano) and crusty bread.

RIBOLLITA - TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, rosemary, and garlic. Cook for about 4 more minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to avoid burning the garlic.
• Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and another few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and juicy. Add the wine and let it cook off, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beans, and then add the vegetable broth. Simmer until the carrots are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the carrots are tender, stir in the kale, the cubed bread, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Simmer for several more minutes until the kale is wilted.
• Season to taste and serve hot in large bowls. Shave fresh Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP (RIBOLLITA)

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir vegetable stock, cannellini beans, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and pesto into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat; saute spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauteed spinach into each serving bowl; ladle soup over spinach.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN AND BREAD SOUP (RIBOLLITA)

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Spread the bread cubes out over a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dried but not browned, about 30 minutes; set aside.
• Process half the beans and 1/4 cup sof the water in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 12 pulses, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add carrots, onion, kale stems, and 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in pureed beans, remaining whole beans, remaining water, kale leaves, potato, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer until potato is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Stir in rosemary sprig and 2 cups of dried bread cubes into the soup, cover, and let stand off the heat until the bread is soggy and falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Discard rosemary sprig and bay leaves and stir to break up bread pieces and thicken the soup.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide remaining bread cubes among individual bowls and ladle thickened soup over the top.
• Drizzle olive oil over top of each portion and serve, passing out the Parmesan cheese separately.

RIBOLLITA (TUSCAN BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• Sort, wash and drain the beans. Soak overnight in enough water to cover by 2 inches. Alternatively, quick-soak the beans by boiling them for 5 minutes in the same amount of water. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
• Drain the beans and put them into a saucepan with 1 1/2 quarts of cold water. Bring the beans to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until tender, but not mushy. Drain.
• Toast the bread lightly; it should not be dark brown. Cut each slice into 4 pieces. Set aside in a dry place, such as an unheated gas oven.
• Bring the stock to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan and add the kale. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic and beans and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are barely tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Ladle a layer of soup into a 10- cup ovenproof casserole. Cover the soup with a single layer of toast squares. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the toast. Repeat with the remaining soup and toast and more of the oil, ending with a layer of soup. Push the toast gently with a spoon to insure that it is submerged. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the top.
• Cover and bake for 40 minutes; for a firmer-textured soup, uncover for the last 20 minutes. Serve with grated cheese on the side.