Italian · dinner, lunch
Ribollita: Tuscan Bean, Kale and Bread Soup
Video by Chef Billy Parisi on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan if you leave out the parmesan
- Vegetarian with a vegetarian hard cheese instead of the parmesan (traditionally made with animal rennet)
- Dairy-free if you leave out the parmesan
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Cannellini beans, kale, cabbage and carrot give each bowl about 12 g of fibre plus plant protein, iron, vitamin A and lots of vitamin K, with only 2 tbsp of oil for ten bowls; puréed beans thicken it instead of cream.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 17
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain, cover with fresh water by about 5 cm, add the rosemary sprig and simmer 30–35 minutes until tender. 0:59
- Remove the rosemary. Blend half the beans with some of their liquid until smooth; keep the rest warm in their liquid. 5:50
- In a large pot, sweat the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in the olive oil over low-medium heat 8–10 minutes until tender but not browned. 5:02
- Add the kale, cabbage, whole beans with their liquid, the bean purée, crushed tomatoes and stock. Cover and cook on low 15–20 minutes until the greens are tender. 6:28
- Season well with salt and pepper. Put a slice of stale bread in each bowl, ladle the soup over and finish with parmesan, parsley and a little rosemary if you like. 8:16
Tip. Start a day ahead: the time shown does not include soaking the beans overnight (or use about 4 drained cans of cannellini). Keep soup and bread separate; the soup keeps 4 days and freezes 3 months.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 10
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 62%
- Protein 23%
- Fat 15%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 38% of the 52 g of net carbs come from the day-old crusty rustic bread. To cut carbs, try less bread, or serving it on the side.
One serve has about 53% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High183%
220 µg a serve, mostly from lacinato kale (71%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C High81%
73 mg a serve, mostly from lacinato kale (66%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Folate High41%
165 µg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (51%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin A High39%
353 µg a serve, mostly from carrots (66%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron High35%
6.4 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (61%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium High29%
122 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (54%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium High27%
1270 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (46%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High26%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from lacinato kale (25%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium High24%
13 µg a serve, mostly from day-old crusty rustic bread (75%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Zinc High22%
2.5 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (59%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Calcium High20%
265 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (35%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin E Source17%
2.5 mg a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (38%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Omega-3 Source14%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from dried cannellini beans (48%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
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Vitamin B121%
0 µg a serve, mostly from parmesan (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve, mostly from parmesan (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Chef Billy Parisi; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.