This recipe for Ribollita Italian Soup is a delicious hearty soup that’s healthy and comforting. Very similar to Pasta Fagioli, it’s a cross between a soup and a pasta dish.
What Is Ribollita?
Ribollita is a Tuscan soup traditionally made with bread and vegetables. There are many variations, but the main ingredients usually include leftover bread, cannellini beans, and inexpensive vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery.
My Family’s Ribollita
Growing up, my Italian grandmother always made this dish for me. It’s real family comfort food that just warms the soul.
I know traditionally, it’s made with day-old bread instead of pasta, but this is how my grandmother made and how I want to share it with you.
How To Make Ribollita
- In a large pot cooked chopped onion, carrots and celery, until the onion is soft.
- Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, and Parmesan rind.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add broken up spaghetti and cook until tender.
- Discard the cheese rind.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Erren’s Top Tip
For an extra depth of flavor, brown 4oz of pancetta or chopped bacon in the pan before adding the vegetables. Be sure to remove any excess fat before adding the onions, carrots, and celery.
Other Italian Soups
Recipe Tips
- Use escarole or kale in place of the spinach
- Don’t have spaghetti? Any pasta you like will do just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- This can easily be a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock.
- If you plan to freeze this soup, do not add the pasta until it’s thawed and reheated.
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Ribollita Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced or finely sliced
- 14 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
- 10 ounces spinach
- 14 oz cannellini beans 1 can, drained
- 6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black Pepper Freshly ground to taste
- 3 inches Parmesan rind optional
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, including the stems
- 1 cup broken spaghetti
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic and fry 1 more minute.
- Add the tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the pasta, reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 10 mminute).
- Discard the cheese rind. Taste for seasoning, and season with salt if nessasary. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Tiffany says
Such a wonderful recipe! So filling and delicious! Will make again!
Erren Hart says
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
regs says
Fabolous recipe, thanks for sharing1
Erren's Kitchen says
So glad you think so, thank you.
Christine says
Very yummy. I added some leftover turkey. All kids and husband liked it! Said it was a little spicy. I think I would use less pepper next time…
Erren says
Thanks so much for letting me know Christine! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Blanca says
You’re recipes awesome!
Erren says
Thanks so much, Blanca!
chris says
Delicious! Thank you!