Sourdough Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean, Kale & Torn Sourdough Soup)

Every loaf eventually leaves you with a heel or two too firm for toast. This is where it goes: torn into a pot of white beans, kale, and tomatoes and simmered until the bread all but dissolves into the broth, thickening the whole pot into something closer to a stew than a soup.

It’s an old trick – ribollita literally means “reboiled” – and it’s exactly the kind of unfussy, use-it-up comfort food that’s having a real moment this fall.

Why You’ll Love It

• Puts day-old sourdough to real use – it thickens the soup instead of just floating in it
• One pot, about an hour start to finish, no sourdough starter or rising involved
• Hearty enough to be dinner on its own, with white beans and kale for real substance
• Built on pantry staples – canned beans and tomatoes, whatever broth you have on hand
• Even better the next day, once the bread has had more time to settle into the broth

Ingredients & Equipment

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Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate – for the most consistent results, weigh your ingredients on a kitchen scale.

• Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving (45 g / 3 Tbsp)
• Yellow onion, diced (150 g / 1 medium)
• Carrots, diced (150 g / 2 medium)
• Celery, diced (100 g / 2 stalks)
• Garlic, minced (15 g / 4 cloves)
• Tomato paste (33 g / 2 Tbsp)
• Crushed tomatoes (400 g / 1 14.5-oz can)
• Vegetable or chicken broth (960 g / 4 cups)
• Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided (800 g / 2 15-oz cans): one can gets mashed for creaminess, the other stays whole
• Parmesan rind (optional): adds deep savory flavor as it simmers – freeze rinds from other recipes just for this
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh rosemary, 1 sprig (or 1 tsp dried)
• Lacinato kale, stemmed and torn (140 g / 4 cups packed)
• Day-old sourdough bread, torn into rough pieces (200 g / about 4 cups): use bread that’s genuinely a day or two old – fresh soft bread turns to mush
• Fine sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• Grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and extra olive oil, for serving

Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• Chef’s knife and cutting board
• Ladle
• Wooden spoon

Sample Schedule (Same Day)

Sourdough Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean, Kale & Torn Sourdough Soup)

A thick, deeply savory Tuscan soup built to use up the heel of a sourdough loaf – torn bread simmers right into a pot of white beans, kale, and tomatoes until it turns almost stew-like. Real elevated-comfort cooking for the first cool week of fall.

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Rest Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Soup

• 45 g (3 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 150 g (1 medium) yellow onion, diced
• 150 g (2 medium) carrots, diced
• 100 g (2 stalks) celery, diced
• 15 g (4 cloves) garlic, minced
• 33 g (2 Tbsp) tomato paste
• 400 g (1 14.5-oz can) crushed tomatoes
• 960 g (4 cups) vegetable or chicken broth
• 800 g (2 15-oz cans) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
• 1 piece Parmesan rind (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig (or 1 tsp dried) fresh rosemary
• 140 g (4 cups packed) lacinato kale, stemmed and torn
• 200 g (about 4 cups) day-old sourdough bread, torn into rough pieces
• to taste fine sea salt and black pepper
• for serving grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and extra olive oil

Heads up: Some of the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• Chef’s knife and cutting board
• Ladle
• Wooden spoon

Method

 

1. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil (45 g / 3 Tbsp) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir in the garlic (15 g / 4 cloves) and tomato paste (33 g / 2 Tbsp), and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
3. Build the soup. Add the crushed tomatoes (400 g), broth (960 g / 4 cups), one can of the beans mashed roughly with a fork for creaminess, the second can of beans left whole, the Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are fully tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
5. Add the kale. Stir in the torn kale (140 g) and simmer 5 more minutes, until wilted and bright green.
6. Add the bread. Remove the bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and Parmesan rind. Stir in the torn sourdough (200 g). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Rest. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup rest 15 minutes so the bread soaks up the broth and the whole pot thickens – this is the shortcut version of the ‘reboiled’ step ribollita is named for.
8. Serve. Ladle into bowls and finish each with a drizzle of good olive oil, grated Parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Notes

Ribollita means “reboiled” – it was originally made from yesterday’s minestrone poured back over yesterday’s bread. I’ve shortened that into one pot, but the spirit is the same: nothing here goes to waste, and the bread is doing real work, not just floating on top.

Use bread that’s genuinely a day or two old, or lightly stale. Fresh soft bread turns to mush; a firmer, day-old sourdough holds just enough shape while still soaking up the broth.

This is one of the few soups that’s better the next day, once the bread has had even more time to settle in. I usually make it the night before I want to serve it.

How to Make It

Tips & Troubleshooting

• Use bread that’s actually stale: a day or two old and slightly firm is ideal – fresh, soft bread dissolves into mush instead of holding any texture.
• Too thick the next day? The bread keeps absorbing broth as it sits – thin leftovers with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
• No Parmesan rind on hand? Skip it and finish with a little extra grated Parmesan stirred in at the end instead.
• Kale gone limp in the fridge? Swap in Swiss chard or savoy cabbage – anything sturdy enough to hold up to a 20-minute simmer.

How to Store

To store: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days – it actually improves after a day, once the bread has fully settled into the broth.

To freeze: freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The texture softens further after freezing, so this is best for a soup you plan to eat fully thickened rather than brothy.

Nutrition

Per serving, based on 6 servings per pot. Estimated from the ingredients used – provided for convenience and not a substitute for a full nutrition label.