Vegetarian Ribollita Recipes

VEGETARIAN RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• In a soup pot or Dutch oven heat the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, zucchini, carrots, garlic, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft and juicy, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, basil, and marjoram and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until cabbage is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and vegetable broth, and adjust the heat to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Remove the rosemary sprig. Stir in the bread and spinach, increase the heat to medium and cook until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into warm bowls. Top with cheese and a little drizzle extra-virgin olive oil.

RIBOLLITA (TUSCAN BEAN SOUP)

Steps:

• Make the Lemon Garlic Rosemary Oil - place all ingredients in a small jar or bowl and let sit on the counter (or make the day before, refrigerating)
• In a large, heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and optional pancetta and saute 6-8 minutes.
• Lower heat to med-low and add the carrots, fennel (or celery) and garlic, salt, pepper and chili flakes, and cook another 7- 9 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Add the tomatoes and lacinato kale, and a splash of white wine, and continue sauteing and stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes.
• Add the stock and beans. Bring to soup to boil, turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.(You could add a Parmesan rind to the simmering soup for extra depth of flavor.)
• Stir in fresh Italian Parsley. Adjust salt if necessary.
• Serve in bowls with a drizzle of the flavorful lemon oil, grated Parmesan ( or Romano) and crusty bread.

TUSCAN-STYLE RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and fry the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until soft. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min.
• Stir in the rosemary sprig, tomatoes, stock, beans and parmesan rind, if using, and bring to a simmer. Add the cavolo and cook, covered, for 10 mins. Stir through the bread and cook for several minutes more to warm through, then add the vinegar and season. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle with the basil, if using, and the grated cheese.

RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Drain the beans; if they're canned, rinse them as well. Add them to the pot along with tomatoes and their juices and stock, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the soup bubbles steadily; cover and cook, stirring once or twice to break up the tomatoes, until the flavors meld, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Fish out and discard rosemary and thyme stems, if you like, and stir in kale. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lay bread slices on top of the stew so they cover the top and overlap as little as possible. Scatter red onion slices over the top, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Put the pot in the oven and bake until the bread, onions and cheese are browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. (If your pot fits under the broiler, you can also brown the top there.) Divide the soup and bread among 4 bowls and serve.