Ribollita is guilt-free comfort food, Tuscan style. The name of this hearty vegetable soup means “reboiled” and refers to the process in which it was originally made by peasants who couldn’t afford to let anything go to waste. They would prepare a vegetable minestra thickened with stale bread, then reheat the leftovers the next day, resulting in a thicker, more flavorful version of the original.
While there’s no one definitive recipe, as is true with most Italian dishes, several ingredients are quintessential: Cavolo nero, known as Tuscan kale in the US; extra virgin olive oil; bread (traditionally pane toscano, made without salt); and cannellini beans—Tuscans love their legumes and are nicknamed mangiafagioli (“bean eaters”) by fellow Italians.
The rest of the vegetables vary depending on the season and the cook, but often include carrots, celery, savoy cabbage, and Swiss chard. Today, the bread added is usually left to dry for a few days or toasted, and the soup is garnished with extra virgin olive oil and a healthy sprinkle of black pepper.
Rich, filling, and packed with nutrients, ribollita is the perfect dish on a cold winter night. The following are four of our favorite spots to enjoy this taste of Tuscany in NYC.
Pepolino has been serving classic Tuscan cuisine to New Yorkers for over 20 years. “We raised half of TriBeCa on ribollita,” joked chef and owner Patrizio Siddu. He said the dish remains a favorite of parents and children alike, and Pepolino’s soul-satisfying take, which includes potatoes and zucchini, transported me straight back to Florence. The soup here is so dense, it’s served with a fork rather than a spoon.
Ribollita by Pepolino
Hearth chef and owner Marco Canora describes ribollita as a multivitamin in a bowl. “I love how nourishing it is. Every time I tuck into a bowl of ribollita I feel as though my body is thanking me,” he said. He experimented with several different breads for the soup before settling on sourdough from Sullivan Street Bakery that he lets dry out, then slowly roasts and crumbles on top of the ribollita, giving it an unexpected, delicate crunchiness. He also garnishes it with Parmigiano-Reggiano, spicy olive oil from his friend in Tuscany, plenty of cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme.
Ribollita by Hearth
Florentine-born chef Michele Baldacci has been eating ribollita pretty much his entire life. When he opened Locanda Vini e Olii in Brooklyn in 2001, he found that most New Yorkers weren’t familiar with his favorite soup, so he served it to diners at the restaurant for free to introduce it to them. It went on to become one of Locanda’s most popular winter dishes. The sturdy bread for their ribollita is made in-house, based on a recipe from the Tuscan town of Montaione. He also prepares and adds a sfumata di pomodoro, or thin tomato paste flavored with garlic, sage, and rosemary, to give the soup extra flavor and a nice kick from the herbs.
Locanda Vini e Olii
Ciccio owner Giacomo Romano prefers to serve their ribollita warm rather than piping hot so that all of the nuances can be appreciated. Ciccio’s version was slightly more liquidy than the others I tried, and is thickened with whole wheat focaccia made on the premises. Romano eschews cheese on top and opts for the traditional olive oil and black pepper garnish. He suggests enjoying it with a glass of Sangiovese or Chianti.
Ribollita by Ciccio