This thick Tuscan soup made with various vegetables and beans is traditionally made a day ahead, hence the name “ribollita”, which means “re-boiled” in Italian.
SERVES 4 PREPARATION 15 minutes COOKING 35 minutes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 leeks, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 good-sized rosemary sprigs
1.2 litres/44fl oz/5 cups vegetable bouillon
3 large vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered, deseeded and chopped
½ tsp crushed dried chillies
175g/6oz/1½ cups cavolo nero, tough stalks removed and leaves shredded
400g/14oz tin cannellini beans in water, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 heaped tsp black olive tapenade, to serve (optional)
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, then add the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, bouillon, tomatoes and crushed chillies and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 15 minutes.
2 Add the cavolo nero and beans, then cook, half-covered, for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove a third of the soup and purée in a blender or food processor, then return to the pan.
3 Season the soup to taste and reheat, if necessary, then serve topped with a spoonful of tapenade, if using.
Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Cavolo nero is part of the cabbage family, and, as such, boasts an extraordinary number of health properties. The plant compounds in this group are believed to provide a potent anti-carcinogenic cocktail, stimulating the body’s defence system.
Food Facts per Portion
Calories 163kcal • Total Carbs 16.5g • total sugar 6g • added sugar 0g