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The only thing better than soup with bread? Soup that not only has chunks of bread in it, but crunchy croutons on top as well. This (vegetarian!) Italian classic is about as comforting as it gets, packed with hearty greens, meaty beans, and plenty of rich olive oil and umami-packed Parmesan. A note on that cheese: If you've been throwing out your Parm rinds all these years, that stops right now. The rind is full of flavor, and makes a great addition to any broth-y, stewy situation.
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What you’ll need
Measuring Cups
$28 At Bon Appétit Market
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Chef's Knife
$34.53 At Amazon
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Medium Bowl
$17 At Amazon
Vegetable Peeler
$12 $10 At Amazon
Colander
$11 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Ladle
$8 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
1
3
2
8
2
1
1
½
⅓
1
¾
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Time to prep your veg! You are going to make a mirepoix, which is just a fancy French word for the combo of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that form the flavor base for a lot of European dishes. First, cut 1 large onion in half through root. Peel and discard skins. Finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl.
Step 2
Wash, peel, and trim 3 medium carrots. Cut in half (or in quarters lengthwise if they’re large), then cut crosswise into ½" pieces. (You can also just chop the carrots down into coins if you don't mind larger pieces of veg in your soup.) Add to bowl with onion.
Step 3
Chop 2 celery stalks crosswise into ½" pieces. Add to bowl with the rest of the mirepoix.
Step 4
Smash and peel 8 garlic cloves with the back of your knife. If any of them are left more or less intact after that initial smashing, give them another good wack with the back of your knife so they really open up and start to break apart. Add to bowl, also.
Step 5
Strip stems from 2 bunches Tuscan kale and discard. Wash if they're gritty or you really care about washing vegetables, then tear leaves into 2" pieces; set aside.
Step 6
Cut rind off of 1 small Parmesan wedge; set aside.
Step 7
Place 28 oz. canned tomatoes and their juices in a strainer set inside a medium bowl. (You need that bowl to collect the juice, which you're going to use later—don't throw it out!) Squeeze tomatoes and crush them with your hands while leaving them submerged in their liquid so they don’t squirt.
Step 8
Tear ½ loaf crusty country bread into 1½" pieces.
Step 9
Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium. Add bowl of mirepoix and 2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8–10 minutes.
Step 10
Lift strainer full of tomatoes and give it a few shakes to remove any liquid. Add tomatoes (but not juices!) and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the rawness is cooked off, about 10 minutes. Giving those tomato solids a chance to caramelize before adding the liquid back in helps to add a lot of flavor to the stew. (Remember: Reserve the juices, you’re going to use them!)
Step 11
While tomatoes are cooking, drain and rinse 14 oz. canned cannellini beans in the strainer you just used, then add to pot along with Parmesan rind, tomato juices, ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
Step 12
Add kale in two additions, stirring often and allowing to wilt in between.
Step 13
Add about one-third of torn bread (no need to measure, just eyeball it) and cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 14
Remove from heat. Place remaining torn bread chunks on top of stew. Drizzle generously with olive oil.
Step 15
Transfer pot to oven and bake stew until thick, bubbling, and bread is golden brown on top, 10–15 minutes.
Step 16
Ladle stew into bowls, drizzle each generously with olive oil, and grate lots of Parmesan over.
Leave a Review
Reviews (227)
Back to TopI like soups with vegetables with a tomato base. Next time I will use vegetable broth instead of water and also add a bit of rosemary and thyme for more flavor. The red pepper flakes really kick this up a notch!
Patricia
Long Beach, CA
2/2/2024
This was cozy and easy to make, you don’t have to worry about excellent knife skills. I used 2 day old bread and would again. I accidentally ate about 2 cloves of garlic that will live for me for the week. For me, it needed a few pinches of salt at the end. If I make it again I would also omit the bread until the very end, I get that defeats the point of a ribollita but just preference on textures.
Anonymous
Seattle
1/23/2024
Absolutely love this. ‘Grandma’ cooking at its best. Have subbed in numerous green leafy things for kale, fennel for celery, turnips for carrots, broth for water, and just about any bean. Warm and pleasing every time. This recipe makes a great starting point from which you can play and clean out your fridge while you are at it.
AnniL
Scarsdale, NY
1/22/2024
This was a winner in our home. Perfect for a winter dish. I modified the recipe by adding spicy Italian sausage because I felt it needed a protein. After browning the sausage I used the drippings and olive oil to cook the vegetables to add more flavor. I’m not a fan of eating soggy bread in my soup so I will omit it the next time. I really enjoy the video clips embedded with the recipe.
SelfTaughtChef
Round Rock, TX
1/20/2024
What an easy satisfying meal, especially during a polar vortex! Super flavorful!
Anonymous
Somewhere midwest
1/17/2024
The only weakness in this recipe is the directions. Not for a beginner! If I hadn't been cooking for the past many, many years, I wouldn't have know to remove the parm rind for one thing. A simple reworking would improve the naysayers as it's a tasty dish. I'm sure it freezes well. I used spinach since my husband hates kale. No problem. And yes, I washed all my vegetables. I'm sure this was just an attempt at levity.
Anonymous
Chicago
1/16/2024
This looks delicious, but what is a good substitute for the kale? I can't eat it.
Anonymous
Chino Hills, CA
1/16/2024