Skip to content
LumaxisLumaxis
All recipes

Italian·Main

Garlic-Toasted Ribollita

An extra-thick and hearty version of the classic Tuscan bread soup, featuring bread chunks infused with garlic oil and toasted before being simmered with cannellini beans and kale.

Prep

20m

Cook

65m

Total

85m

Serves

6

Method

  1. 01

    Prepare the garlic oil by smashing garlic cloves and salt in a mortar and pestle, then stir in olive oil. Tear the ciabatta bread into jagged chunks, place on a sheet pan, drizzle with the garlic oil, and toss to coat. Toast at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes until dried and slightly golden.

    Step 1
    Watch · 0:25
  2. 02

    In a mixing bowl, mash one can of drained cannellini beans until smooth. Add the can of whole peeled tomatoes and mash them into the beans until they reach your desired consistency (Chef John prefers very smooth).

    Step 2
    Watch · 1:58
  3. 03

    Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; sauté for 1 more minute.

    Step 3
    Watch · 2:35
  4. 04

    Pour in the chicken broth and a splash of water to rinse the tomato can. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Return to a boil, stir in the kale, and simmer for 5 minutes until it begins to soften.

    Step 4
    Watch · 3:20
  5. 05

    Add the smashed bean and tomato mixture, the remaining can of whole beans, parsley, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir in half of the toasted bread and a handful of Parmesan cheese. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the bread collapses and the soup thickens significantly.

    Step 5
    Watch · 5:08
  6. 06

    Taste and adjust salt as needed. Stir in the white wine vinegar for acidity. Turn off the heat and stir in half of the remaining toasted bread chunks. Serve garnished with more toasted bread, Parmesan cheese, parsley, red chili flakes, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

    Step 6
    Watch · 6:28

From Chef John

  • “You are after all the senor and senorita of your ribollita.”
  • “Plus a few shakes of cayenne just to stay in shape.”
  • “If you want to be an honorary Italian grandma, we always want to rinse bowls and cans out with water and add that to whatever we're cooking.”