Ribollita Soup

Ribollita, a traditional hearty Tuscan soup, typically uses day-old bread to add body and thicken the broth. This ribollita recipe uses a bean mash, which keeps the soup gluten-free and adds fiber. Garnish with extra-virgin olive oil or pepper and grated Parmesan.

Prep/Cook Time: 1:15 Hours, Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can whole peeled plum tomatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and sliced, white and light green parts only
• ¼ cup thinly sliced garlic
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 bunch kale or Swiss chard, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-wide slices
• ¼ head Savoy or green cabbage, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups diced russet potatoes
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅛ teaspoon celery seed
• Crushed red pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain canned tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Dice the tomatoes. Using a potato masher, mash half the beans into a paste (add a bit of broth, if desired, to make mashing the beans easier). Set the tomatoes and beans aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek and garlic; cook, stirring, until translucent and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not brown. Season with ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Stir in carrots, celery and zucchini and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; cook, stirring, until nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. When the carrots and celery are nearly tender, stir in kale (or chard) and cabbage. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 6 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, water, the diced tomatoes and juice, the bean puree and whole beans, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with celery seed, crushed red pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until all the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.