Bean Soup From Tuscany
Submitted by mark_631
Authentic Tuscan bean soup with cannellini, savoy cabbage, fresh herbs, and a rich ham and salt pork soffritto. Ladled over toasted Italian bread with a drizzle of olive oil.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
150 minREADY
180 minIn Tuscany, this soup is peasant food elevated to art. Cannellini beans simmer for hours with parsley, basil, rosemary, garlic, and red onion until they’re creamy enough to puree halfway.
A separate soffritto of ham, salt pork, and tomatoes brings depth and richness, while savoy cabbage adds a sweet, slightly peppery backbone.
The finishing tradition is what makes it truly Tuscan: ladle the thick, fragrant soup over slices of toasted coarse Italian bread and crown each bowl with a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
This is the kind of soup that gets better every time you reheat it, which is why Italians call the leftover version “ribollita” or “reboiled."
Chef Tips
- Use dried cannellini beans and soak them overnight. Canned beans won’t give you the same starchy, silky broth that makes this soup special.
- Puree only half the beans and vegetables. The mix of smooth and chunky is what gives Tuscan bean soup its signature rustic texture.
- Use the best olive oil you can afford for the finishing drizzle. It goes on raw, so you’ll taste every note of it.
- Savoy cabbage is milder and more tender than regular green cabbage. It wilts into the soup beautifully without becoming sulfurous.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak the beans overnight in cold water; rinse and drain.
Coarsely chop one onion, parsley, celery, garlic, basil and rosemary.
Place in stockpot. Add beans, coarse-grain salt to taste and 5 quarts of cold water.
Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for about 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining onion, chop up the tomatoes in a food processor and cut the ham and salt pork into small pieces.
Heat ¼ cup of the oil and lightly sauté the onion, ham and salt pork for about 10 minutes, then add the tomatoes.
Taste for salt and pepper and add the thyme or tarragon.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, then set aside.
Clean and wash the cabbage. Cut into ½-inch strips.
When the beans have finished cooking, remove about half the beans and vegetables with a slotted spoon and purée in a food processor.
Return the purée to the stockpot and add enough cold water to make about 4 quarts liquid and bring to a boil.
Add cabbage and simmer about 25 minutes, then add tomatoes and meat to the stockpot and simmer 5 minutes longer.
Toast the slices of bread and place in each individual soup bowl.
Ladle the soup over the bread and serve, adding a teaspoons of olive oil to each serving.
NOTE: Dried herbs may be substituted for fresh using ⅓ to ½ teaspoons dried for each tablespoons fresh, or to taste.
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