Ribollita is a hearty vegetable and bread soup from Tuscany. Ribollita literally means “reboiled” and was originally made by Tuscan peasants using leftover vegetables, beans, and bread. I found several recipes for it while searching for something to do with cabbage. I, actually, had not heard of it before, but now it’s my new favorite soup. It’s incredibly versatile so, in the true spirit of the dish, use what you have on hand. Then cozy up and enjoy! Come to think of it… this would be a great, simple but satisfying supper for Halloween to offset all that candy.
Before you begin, make sure you have a sharp knife…
and a bowl for scraps. You’ll be chopping lots of veggies!
Start with 2 TB olive oil, 3 slices of thick cut bacon (skip if you want a vegetarian dish) and 1 large onion, chopped. Saute in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Add the following and cook until the vegetables just start to get soft …
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 TB garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 15oz can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh baby arugula (or use fresh basil)
Simmer until the cabbage is cooked, add salt/pepper to your taste. Serve over toasted bread (preferably a hearty Italian or sourdough) and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
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