If you ask anyone to name a classic Tuscan dish that’s hearty, nourishing and perfect for a cold winter’s night, chances are they’ll say traditional Ribollita — that rustic Tuscan white bean and vegetable soup loaded with dark greens, plenty of beans and vegetables, and traditionally thickened with day-old bread.
My version isn’t a strict Ribollita, but it’s absolutely inspired by it. I pack it with kale, use my favourite white beans to add just a little natural creaminess, and skip the stale bread altogether. Plus, I add smoked bacon for a beautifully deep, savoury flavour that makes this Tuscan-style white bean soup feel extra cosy and satisfying.
Ribollita literally means “reboiled” and is rumored as being a dish that frugal Tuscan cooks created to use up leftover vegetables and bread from the week. Whatever the story, the process of reboiling the soup thickens it and makes it even more flavorful — so some say it’s even better the next day.
Ingredients for Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale
This rustic Ribollita, a traditional Tuscan bean soup, was originally made with leftover bread layered into bowls before reheated soup from the day before was poured over and baked. To get that thick, velvety texture without stale bread, I purée part of the white beans. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for my take on this classic comfort dish.
- Broth: Chicken broth brings the most depth, especially when it’s homemade.
- Beans: Use a can of butter beans or white cannellini beans.
- Bacon: Lean, diced bacon works well, or go classic with pancetta.
- Kale: I love cavolo nero (Tuscan black kale) for Ribollita. You can swap in curly kale, Redbor kale or Russian kale.
- More veg: Carrots, fennel, tomatoes and yellow onions are my go-tos, though some versions also include celery. Feel free to play around.
- Seasoning: Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and red chilli flakes.
- Aromatics: Olive oil, white wine, garlic, flat-leaf parsley and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan for richness.
Lacinato Kale: A Brilliant Addition to Hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup
Also known as “Nero di Toscana”, “Dinosaur” or Black kale, it has a deliciously sweet, rich and earthy taste which makes it the perfect addition to any hearty meal, whether it be a winter minestrone, pot of lentil stew, or traditional Tuscan ribollita. This type of kale is popping up more and more at the farmer’s markets in Hamburg and although it’s been grown and harvested in Tuscany for centuries, it actually grown locally here as well. Sold by the bunch, it’s easy to find at my weekly farmer’s market, but you can also find it at some organic food stores. If you can’t find lacinato kale, don’t fret, just use Swiss chard or curly kale instead.
Tuscan Bean Soup Made Easy
This flavour-packed Tuscan kale and white bean soup takes about 50 minutes on the stove, most of it gentle simmering. Here’s the short version:
1) Cook the vegetables.
Sauté onions and ham in hot olive oil, then add the carrots, fennel and garlic. Season generously with salt, black pepper and chilli flakes. Keep things a little al dente. Stir in the cavolo nero, tomatoes and a splash of white wine, letting everything soften together.
2) Build the soup base.
Pour in the broth along with half the beans. Mash the remaining beans with a little water and stir them in to help thicken the broth. Let the soup simmer until the flavours meld.
3) Finish and serve.
Stir through the parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan. Done!
You’ll find the exact quantities and ingredients for this Ribollita recipe in the printable recipe card below.
Preparing Dried Beans for Ribollita
If you choose to use dried beans for this Kale Ribollita, preparing the beans takes a little foresight, so plan ahead. You’ll need to soak the beans overnight in a bowl of water with a ratio of at least 3 cups water per 1 cup dried beans. This will yield you about 2 1/2 cups cooked and will give you faster cooking beans the next day. Depending on how well they were soaked they will take 1,5 – 2 hours to cook. Because of this, I always make extra and store them in the refrigerator in the remaining cooking liquid along with a splash of olive oil and a dash of salt. They keep for up to 5 days this way.
If you love a comforting Ribollita soup, here are a few more cosy bowls you might enjoy:
- German Split Pea Soup: A classic German favourite that’s surprisingly close in spirit to Tuscan bean soup; hearty, homely and full of simple flavour.
- Easy Chicken Gnocchi Soup: A beautiful blend of classic comfort and Italian soul. Nourishing, vibrant and wonderfully satisfying.
- Simple Chicken Potato Soup: A simple and pleasing all-rounder that is easy to make and tastes great. A soup the whole family will love.
- Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup: Another classic, this time with mushrooms taking centre stage for a deliciously, earthy bowl of comfort food.
Tuscan White Bean Soup (Ribollita) with Kale
A hearty and deeply flavourful Tuscan Soup recipe with lacinato kale, white beans and garden vegetables. Serve it with your favourite crusty bread for a wonderful comfort food meal.
I’d love your feedback – just click on the stars to rate this recipe! ⭐
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 100 g lean diced bacon
- 3 medium yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups chopped)
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (see tips below)
- 200 g Tuscan kale (curly kale), stems trimmed off and leaves chopped (about 6 cups, chopped)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (80 ml)
- 5 cups chicken broth (good quality)
- 2 x 400 g can organic butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Freshly grated parmesan, to garnish (optional)
Method
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In a large heavy-bottomed pot (the largest one you have), heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, until onions softened.
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Lower the heat slightly and add the carrots, fennel, garlic, chili flakes, a small pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Cook for another 7-8 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
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Add the tomatoes, kale and white wine. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the broth and two-thirds of the beans. Mash or puree the remaining beans with a little water, until smoothish. Stir the beans into the soup (the bean puree helps thicken up the soup broth).
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Bring the soup to a light boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
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Remove the stew from the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with grated parmesan.
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Enjoy!
Notes
- This soup is also great the next day. Just cool and refrigerate overnight, then serve reheated as a true “Ribollita” the next day.
- Preparing dried beans: For dried beans, use 1 cup giant white beans, soaked in water overnight. Then drain and rinse the beans. In a large pot, add the beans and cover with 4-5 cm of water. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, until the beans are tender, but still hold their shape. This takes about 1,5 hours or more, so plan ahead. The beans should be cooked but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
- Tip for peeling tomatoes: Score a small “X” into the skin on the bottom of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to the boil and lower the tomatoes into the boiling water — you can add several at once. After about 30 seconds, the skin will slip off effortlessly.
For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes Playlist on Spotify.
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