A healthy, delicious recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup also known as Ribollita – made with Cannellini beans, lacinato kale, and vegetables, drizzled with a Lemon Rosemary Garlic Oil. Hearty, nourishing, and easily vegan-Adaptable. (With a Video.)
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This day will never come again. ~Merton
This hearty flavorful Tuscan White Bean Soup, called Ribollita, originates from hilltop villages throughout Tuscany where, during the Middle Ages, hungry, hard-working peasants who served table-side to their wealthy landowners, would pocket the leftover crusts and crumbs and bits of meat after abundant feasts and add these to their soups and stews at home.
Ribollitta translates to “re-boiled”.
Nothing was wasted. Traditionally, it’s a big pot of soup made with simple garden vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, kale, tomatoes and cannellini beans (or white beans) in a flavorful broth, thickened with bread, then reheated and eaten several days in row, getting better and better each day.
White Bean Soup (Ribolitta) | 50-sec video
Why I love this recipe
This recipe is just so wholesome and cozy and full of so much flavor. A meal unto itself! It’s a perfect winter soup that can be made vegan or vegetarian – the pancetta is totally optional and can be omitted altogether if vegan or vegetarian.
How to elevate White Bean Soup
- For extra depth of flavor, add a bit of whole, Parmesan rind to the simmering soup, which will give it amazing flavor.
- To me, what really elevates this recipe is the “finishing oil” – a drizzle of olive oil infused with lemon zest, garlic and rosemary which gives this sometimes somber soup a delicious brightness.
- Serve it with or over Crispy Sourdough Toast– like you see here in our Brothy Beans Recipe!
How to serve Ribollita
Serve Ribollita with crusty bread to mop up all the tasty flavors, and a drizzle of Lemony Rosemary oil.
It’s hearty enough for dinner, just on its own, and gets better and better each day…so I like making a big pot of this and eating it throughout the week.
Expert Tips
To thicken the soup, you can blend a cup of the beans into a puree, or add torn pieces of day-old bread into the soup itself, cooking the bread down. It will add a delicious heartiness.
However personally, I’m a broth fan, so I leave this brothy and un-thickened so there are more juices to dip the crusty bread in while eating. Of course, this is a personal preference, so do as you like.
On the homefront: Several years ago now, my group of girlfriends and I took a trip to Tuscany together. After years of planning, saving and dreaming, the time came when we were finally there, in a little hilltop village, soaking up all the Tuscan sunshine, wine and food we could handle.
Time seemed to slow way down, the hillsides were golden and glittery, so much beauty and detail to absorb.
There is something truly special about making the decision to go somewhere, and then to actually go. Life is so short. I feel it getting shorter every single day, and I guess I just want to impress upon you to do the things you’ve always dreamed of doing, and not to wait too long.
This is where this soup came from…
More White Bean Soup Recipes
- Brothy Beans on Garlic Toast
- Creamy White Bean Soup with Gremolata
- Tuscan Cannellini Bean Soup
- Smoky Tomato White Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and White Bean Soup
- Pumpkin Soup with Leeks and White beans
- Brothy Tortellini Soup w/ Spinach, White Beans & Basil
- Instant Pot Minestrone Soup (Vegan!)
Have a delicious weekend! Let us know how you like Ribollita in the comments below!
xoxo
PrintRibollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 cups
- Category: Main, soup
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A hearty flavorful Tuscan White Bean Soup called Ribollita with lacinato kale, cannellini beans and garden vegetables served with crusty bread and drizzled with a flavorful lemon rosemary oil. See notes for vegan option.
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup good olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped pancetta or bacon –optional (feel free to leave this out, or sub vegan bacon)
- 2 cups diced onions
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced fennel bulb (or sub celery)
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic- rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 2–3 medium tomatoes – diced (or a 14-ounce can diced tomatoes)
- 6 cups lacinato kale, chopped
- Splash white wine
- 6 cups chicken or veggie stock
- Parmesan rind (optional, but adds depth and flavor)
- 3 cups cooked cannellini beans – or use 2 cans cannellini beans (drained, rinsed), or great northern white beans
- ——–
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- Grated pecorino or Parmesan – optional or try vegan parmesan
- Crusty Bread
Rosemary Lemon Garlic Oil ( for drizzling)
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- zest of one large lemon
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- few sprigs rosemary (or thyme, sage)
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- NOTE: If you like a thicker soup, blend or puree 1-2 cups of the soup, and add back to the soup. Or, thicken it with day-old bread, torn into small pieces and cooked with the broth. This is the traditional way. (I prefer a brothier version of this soup, so I skip both and serve with toasty bread on the side instead.)
- Keep this vegan by using veggie broth, no pancetta or parmesan. The rosemary oil will add a delicious flavor – I highly recommend it. Sometimes I’ll add a tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast for a more cheesy flavor and 1 tablespoon miso paste to add more depth. Up to you.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup with finishing oil
- Calories: 391
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 936.1 mg
- Fat: 20.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7 g
- Fiber: 9.5 g
- Protein: 13.4 g
- Cholesterol: 4.9 mg
How would you recommend to make this with dried beans? 1 cup soaked overnight and then cook in water, or cook them in onion and then add all the vegetables later?
Yes Janine, that is what I would do! Cook beans separately may be easier.
This is a perfect recipe! I used torn pieces of sourdough to thicken it and it turned out great. The additional flavor from the infused oil really takes it over the top. I’ll be making this one all winter!
Glad you enjoyed this one Katie!
This is one of the most delightful things I’ve eaten in ages x
Great to hear!
What is the serving size for the nutrition listed? How many servings per full recipe?
Hi Alexi! This makes 8 cups, I updated the recipe card!
Love this recipe. make
So delicious, I make this often. It’s a big hit with everyone that tries it. I regularly rely on many of your fabulous recipes. Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us. ❤️
So nice to hear!
Hey! Just wondering if I can sub the kale with anything else? Cant find that type here. What about silver beet? Thank you
Sure! Any green you enjoy would work!
Amazing every time!
Great to hear, thanks for the review!
Can you make this without beans? I’ve made it as written before and it’s delicious, but making for someone who can’t tolerate beans. If making without, would you substitute with something else (potatoes, chicken, something else..?)? Appreciate any thoughts you have
Any of those would be good, cauliflower might be nice too.
This is my all time favorite soup recipe. I make it all the time. I have shared this recipe with many friends and relatives. My 6 year old grand daughter even loves it!
So nice to hear this Lori!
This was so good! I only used a few pieces of bacon but it was so flavorful. The fennel is such a good flavor for this.
Glad you enjoyed Josie!
Good! Good! Good! We had a snowstorm and I needed something hearty and warming for lunch. Boy was this ever delicious! I used thick bacon chunks and beet greens in my version. Yummy!
So glad you enjoyed!
So Delicious!
This is one of my family’s favorites. I add chopped ham or shredded chicken to it sometimes to appease my 2-athletes’ appetites. Wondering if it freezes well? Any tips?
It will freeze just fine! Use an airtight container fill leaving an inch of room to expand.
This was so good! I ended up not making the infused olive oil, but added the juice of a lemon to the kale and tomatoes as well as a splash of Vermouth & white wine, some extra garlic in the soup along with a 1/4 tsp of fresh rosemary with the spices. Such a great recipe! Will try making the infused oil next time.
So glad you enjoyed!
I’ve made this soup many times and it’s delicious every time. I don’t add the pancetta or the rosemary olive oil but still delicious. The parmesan rind gives it a great flavor! I do cut back on the salt a bit.
Thanks Nina, good to hear your helpful comments!
So yummy! Hearty enough for even my non soup loving husband. So much flavor and agree the infused olive oil really elevates things. I cooked beans in broth (on accident) but it worked out ok:)
Oh! I bet they were flavorful beans! Glad it all worked out.:)
This guy s the most flavoursome soup I have had in a long time . My husband said he would pay for that in a restaurant…yay!!!
Thank you Sylvia!
Wonderful Lesley, happy to hear this!
Delicious, love this soup!! Perfectly paired with your sourdough recipe 🙂
My favorite kind of meal! Glad you enjoyed.
This is one of our winter favorites. Easy to make vegetarian or vegan.
So nice to hear this Mel!
This soup was amazing! The oil took it over the top. I didn’t change a thing and made it with the pancetta. Next time I’m going to try it without. Thank you for the excellent recipe. The oil took it over the top.
So happy to hear this Lori!