Authentic Tuscan Ribollita: It’s not just a vegetable soup. The traditional recipe requires “re-boiling” and a crispy oven finish. Here is how we make it in Florence
Authentic Tuscan Ribollita: It’s not just a vegetable soup. The traditional recipe requires “re-boiling” and a crispy oven finish. Here is how we make it in Florence
by CiaoToscana
5 Comments
CiaoToscana
Hi everyone! I run a blog about Tuscany and I wanted to share the authentic way to make **Ribollita**.
Many people think it’s just a minestrone with bread, but the name literally means “re-boiled.” In the Middle Ages, servants would take the leftover unleavened bread trenches used by lords as “plates,” boil them with vegetables, and reheat the soup over several days. The more it was reheated, the better it became.
**The Secret:** The authentic texture comes from the “double cooking” and the specific finish in the oven with onion slices on top.
**Ingredients:**
* 250g (9 oz) Stale Tuscan bread (saltless is best, but any hearty country bread works. It MUST be stale/dry). * 800g (28 oz) Cannellini beans (cooked). Keep 1/4 whole, blend the rest into a cream. * 1 bunch Lacinato Kale (Cavolo Nero) – *Essential!* * 1 bunch Swiss Chard & 1/2 Savoy Cabbage. * Vegetables: 5 carrots, 4 potatoes, 3 celery stalks, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves. * 2 Tomatoes + 1 tbsp tomato paste. * Thyme, Salt, Pepper, EVOO.
**The Process:**
1. **The Base:** Sauté the onion in a large pot (dutch oven or terracotta). Add tomatoes and paste. 2. **The Soup:** Add the bean puree (the blended beans), the whole beans, and all the chopped vegetables (kale, chard, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery). Add water/broth to cover and simmer for about 2 hours on low heat. 3. **The Assembly:** Toast bread slices and rub them with garlic. In an oven-safe pot, alternate layers of bread and the vegetable soup. 4. **The “Ribollita” Step:** Cover the top with thin onion slices and bake/reheat in the oven until the onion is golden and crispy. Serve with fresh high-quality olive oil.
It tastes 10x better if you let it rest and eat it the next day!
5 Comments
Hi everyone! I run a blog about Tuscany and I wanted to share the authentic way to make **Ribollita**.
Many people think it’s just a minestrone with bread, but the name literally means “re-boiled.” In the Middle Ages, servants would take the leftover unleavened bread trenches used by lords as “plates,” boil them with vegetables, and reheat the soup over several days. The more it was reheated, the better it became.
**The Secret:** The authentic texture comes from the “double cooking” and the specific finish in the oven with onion slices on top.
**Ingredients:**
* 250g (9 oz) Stale Tuscan bread (saltless is best, but any hearty country bread works. It MUST be stale/dry).
* 800g (28 oz) Cannellini beans (cooked). Keep 1/4 whole, blend the rest into a cream.
* 1 bunch Lacinato Kale (Cavolo Nero) – *Essential!*
* 1 bunch Swiss Chard & 1/2 Savoy Cabbage.
* Vegetables: 5 carrots, 4 potatoes, 3 celery stalks, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves.
* 2 Tomatoes + 1 tbsp tomato paste.
* Thyme, Salt, Pepper, EVOO.
**The Process:**
1. **The Base:** Sauté the onion in a large pot (dutch oven or terracotta). Add tomatoes and paste.
2. **The Soup:** Add the bean puree (the blended beans), the whole beans, and all the chopped vegetables (kale, chard, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery). Add water/broth to cover and simmer for about 2 hours on low heat.
3. **The Assembly:** Toast bread slices and rub them with garlic. In an oven-safe pot, alternate layers of bread and the vegetable soup.
4. **The “Ribollita” Step:** Cover the top with thin onion slices and bake/reheat in the oven until the onion is golden and crispy. Serve with fresh high-quality olive oil.
It tastes 10x better if you let it rest and eat it the next day!
For the full step-by-step guide with photos and more history about the peasant origins:[**https://www.ciaotoscana.it/en/tuscan-recipes/authentic-tuscan-ribollita-the-original-recipe/**](https://www.ciaotoscana.it/en/tuscan-recipes/authentic-tuscan-ribollita-the-original-recipe/)
It must be delicious!
This is an absolute favorite and a must when I’m in Italy! Looks wonderful.
Will be in Florence and touring Tuscany in a few weeks!!
Looks amazing! One question are you putting raw onion on top and then broil it until golden the onion golden, and the bread is crispy?