Italian Bread & Tomato Soup (Ribollita)

When the weather turns cold, there’s nothing like a warm tomato soup with chunks of crusty bread mixed in. This version is fast to put together using frozen spinach, cannellini beans, and whatever else you have on hand.

I’ve always heard rustic soups like bouillabaisse described as being made of leftovers. This romantic and spontaneous idea of making a meal out of whatever is left in the fridge has been, until recently, lost on me. I’m a recipe girl. The closest I come to estimating a measurement might be using a regular spoon instead of a tablespoon. For recipes with approximate measurements I’ve found myself wondering, exactly how big is a handful and what constitutes a pinch? Yes, I own a digital scale and use it religiously.

However, this fall, I’m inspired to change. If I can avoid an extra trip to the grocery store and bypass dirtying a measuring cup, I’m for it. And what better to mark the start of my spontaneous journey than ribollita, the ultimate leftovers soup? Literally translated as reboiled, ribollita is a Tuscan soup that can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand. To keep it tasting like a ribollita, it’s best if you start with a base of onions, carrots, and celery and include some form of tomatoes (sauce, pureé, crushed, etc.) and bread.

I used frozen spinach because it’s what I had in the freezer, but kale and Swiss chard would work as well. I had used tomato pureé earlier in the week and had just enough to add to this soup. Tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and pretty much any other form of tomato would do. If you don’t have stale bread, put a few slices of fresh bread in a warm oven and let them dry out without toasting. Add as much bread to create the thickness you like; I like to make it with enough bread so I can taste it in every bite.

Ever since I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy, ribollita has taken a strong hold as one of my very favorite soups. Though, thanks to the chunks of bread that soak up the flavorful broth and thicken the pot, it’s most definitely more stew than soup, which I’ve never complain about, especially this time of year when it only makes for a more comforting bowl. Variations abound in Tuscany but what remains the same is the inclusion of white beans, flat-leaf lacinato kale (AKA Tuscan kale), and stale bread. This is an easy recipe to make vegan if you leave off the grated Parmesan cheese, though I will say it makes for the perfect finish if you’re unopposed.

— Sheela, January 2020