This Ribollita recipe is wonderfully hearty and delicious and has over 100+ 5-star reviews! It’s made with cannellini beans, lacinato kale, vegetables, and optional day-old bread with deep savory Italian flavors. It’s finished with Rosemary Garlic Oil. It’s vegan-adaptable. 
This day will never come again. ~Merton
I first experienced Zuppa di Ribollita while on a trip to Tuscany with my girlfriends. It was the trip of a lifetime—we had been planning it for years! I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home and share it with you the exact way I experienced it there. Every time I make this soup, I am transported back to those happy places.
It is deliciously comforting and homey. What makes this recipe stand out are my chef’s tips- so be sure to read through them. After years of perfecting this soup in our catering business, we’ve created a recipe our readers return to again and again! Just read the reviews!
Ribollita originates from hilltop villages of Tuscany where, 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- nothing was wasted.
Ribollitta means to “re-boil.” 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. It’s a very humble and economical meal, yet it feels like a feast.
Why you’ll love This Ribollita!
This soup is just so wholesome, hearty, and full of rich flavor—a meal unto itself! It’s a perfect one-pot meal that can be adapted to your dietary preferences. Make it vegan, vegetarian or even gluten-free.
I offer up a few of my chef’s tips below for creating the perfect batch- including using fennel bulb and parmesan rind and making the finishing oil.
Ribollita Ingredients
- Cooked cannellini beans – used canned cannellini beans (drained, rinsed), or great northern white beans, or cook your own from dry beans.
- Fresh tomatoes – or use one 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- Lacinato kale, also know as Tuscan kale, chopped
- Onion and Garlic cloves – for savory depth and flavor. Red onion, white onion or yellow onion all work.
- Carrots and Fennel – or sub-celery stalks for the fennel bulb. Fennel really adds a lovely complexity.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Chicken stock or veggie stock
- Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, or Italian seasoning.
- Kosher salt, black pepper and chili flakes
- Optional additions: white wine, pancetta, parmesan rind, day-old stale bread like ciabatta, french bread or sourdough, or toasted bread or even croutons.
- Garnishes: Rosemary Oil (see notes), Italian parsley leaves, grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, and Crusty Bread
Ribollita VAriations
- For extra depth of flavor, add a bit of whole Parmesan rind to the simmering soup, which will give it richness and amazing flavor.
- For an extra hearty soup, add 1-2 cups diced potatoes.
- Elevate it with Rosemary Oil- a drizzle of olive oil infused with lemon zest, garlic and rosemary which gives this sometimes somber soup a delicious brightness.
- Instead of Rosemary oil, drizzle it with Gremolata!
- Serve it with or over crispy Sourdough Toast– as you see here in our Brothy Beans Recipe!
How to make Ribollita
- Make the Rosemary Oil – place all ingredients in a small jar or bowl and let sit on the counter.
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot or large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and sauté the 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 cannellini beans. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. (You could add a Parmesan rind to the simmering soup for extra depth of flavor.) Feel free to stir in hand-torn pieces of day-old bread to thicken the soup.
- Adjust salt and pepper and stir in fresh Italian Parsley.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Ribollita in bowls with a drizzle of the flavorful rosemary oil, grated Parmesan (or pecorino ) and crusty bread to mop up all the tasty flavors. 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.
Other Italian dishes that work well with Ribollita are Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, or Traditional Chicken Cacciatore. Serve it with a big Caesar salad and bread. Finish it off with lovely Tiramisù for dessert!
Chef’s Tips
- You can keep this soup brothy for dipping your bread into it or thicken it. 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. If you know ahead of time that you will be using day-old bread, tear it apart with your fingers and let it dry out on a sheet pan on the counter overnight- you can also slightly toast it.
- Make it ahead! If making this for a gathering, make it a day ahead ( leave out the bread) refrigerate and reheat. It will get more flavorful as the flavors meld. Add the bread if using when yo heat it up. Be sure to make the flavorful rosemary oil- store it in the fridge, and let it come to room temp before using.
- The parmesan rind truly elevates! I always save mine and freeze them so I have them on hand for soups and stews.
- Rosemary Oil- makes the soup pop!
Storing your Ribollita
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop.
You can freeze Ribollita in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge.
I hope you enjoy this Tuscan soup as much as I have! Please leave your comments and rating below. 🥂
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
Watch how to make Ribolitta
Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup)
- Prep Time: 25 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
I made this again over the weekend. I used the turkey bacon this time as I usually skipped the meat part and did everything else exactly. Just fantastic! I LOVE this soup and it is how I found your site a while ago by googling soup recipes. Thank you so much!!
Love it Michelle! So glad you found us. 🙂 Appreciate the review and rating!
this was an excellent recipe – do not skip the rosemary and lemon drizzle! It really made this exceptional
Thanks Sara, glad you enjoyed!
Yet ANOTHER fabulous soup recipe, Sylvia! So delish! I made it exactly as printed, including a parmesan rind as it simmered and then finishing it off with a swirl of the infused oil. Superb!
Thanks Melissa, appreciate the kind review!
Made this with mild Italian sausage and Italian dice tomatoes! Sooo good. Might try hot Italian sausage next time.
Glad you enjoyed!
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!