Ribollita Soup

Our final Earth Month recipe 🌍 is the ultimate bowl of comfort, which is a favorite of our team member, Marieken! 🍲 “I make a leftover veggie soup with a bouillon cube to make broth, add whatever veggies I have, and then blend it together once soft. For an extra treat, my daughter loves it when I cook some mini meatballs in the soup after blending.” 💬 Get the recipe below:

Ingredients
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 1 yellow onion, diced
– 2 medium carrots, diced
– 2 celery stalks, diced
– 2 medium zucchini, chopped
– 1 tbsp herbes de Provence
– 1 tbsp tomato paste
– 2 (15.5 oz) cans low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
– 1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
– 1 (32 oz) pkg low-sodium chicken broth
– 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and sliced
– 4 cups diced leftover bread
– Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Steps
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini. Season with the herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Cook 10–15 min., stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove half of vegetable mixture and set aside.
2. To Dutch oven, stir in the tomato paste, and let cook 1 min. Stir in 1 can of beans, tomatoes, broth, and kale. Season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the bread. Reduce heat and simmer 20–25 min., until kale is cooked and bread is absorbed by liquid.
3. Meanwhile, add reserved vegetables and remaining can of beans to a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth and then transfer to soup. If needed, heat soup until warm. Divide soup among bowls. Serve with the Parmesan cheese.

This classic Tuscan vegetable and bean soup is traditionally made with stale bread and is a comforting and easy way to use up leftovers. Just sauté fresh veggies and herbs in a large pot. Then add tomato paste, canned beans and tomatoes, broth, and chopped kale. Once the soup is boiling, stir in your torn leftover bread. This could be the ends of a loaf or even last night’s dinner rolls. Simmer and cook until the kale is wilted and the bread has turned your brothy soup into a hearty and filling winter stew. Curl up with a bowl tonight.