RIBOLLITA: A TUSCAN WINTER STEW WORTH SAVORING

Some dishes come back into rotation every winter…

Quiet classics that warm you from the inside out. Ribollita is one of those dishes. This hearty Tuscan vegetable stew delivers everything a cold-weather dinner should: deeply satisfying, wildly flavorful, and, dare I say, so healthy it practically gives you a halo. A decade ago, when I first wrote about this recipe, the Polar Vortex was raging. Today, winter may be less dramatic, but Ribollita remains the perfect antidote.

My earlier version leaned into Mark Bittman, the longtime New York Times columnist who dubbed himself “The Flexitarian,” promising recipes that championed great taste and a smarter way of eating. His Ribollita recipe fit beautifully into that philosophy: full of vegetables, fiber-rich beans, greens, and just enough tomato to brighten everything. But this stew deserved an update—and a fresher, more SEO-friendly wardrobe.

A Tuscan Classic Rooted in Centuries of Ingenuity

Ribollita is proof that Italian cucina povera—peasant cooking—can be downright luxurious. Its name means “reboiled,” a nod to the Middle Ages, when servants gathered leftover bread and the remnants of lavish feasts and turned them into something nourishing. Today, it embodies Tuscan sensibility: rustic, hearty, and touched with natural elegance. And if you need further evidence that Tuscany exists to seduce you, here’s the view that inspired this stew.

Ribollita is a cousin of Minestrone (well represented on Chewing The Fat: Go to https://chewingthefat.us.com/?s=Minestrone) and shares DNA with other Tuscan comfort foods. Its essentials—cannellini beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, kale, and stale bread—deliver the kind of honest flavor that lingers in memory.

Why This Ribollita Works (And Why I Dial Up the Vegetables)

Bittman once said that even vegetable stews could use more vegetables, and I took that fully to heart. I double the carrots, heap in “a boatload of kale,” and fold in baby spinach for good measure. The result is richer, greener, and altogether more Tuscan.

If you love hearty soups like my Minestrone alla Milanese, this version slides effortlessly into your winter lineup. And if you’re fond of kale, you’ll find more ways to use it in my other kale-packed recipes. Meanwhile, if Italy is calling your name, my Tuscan travel stories may inspire a future pilgrimage. Internal links woven in? Always.

The Final Flourish: Toasted Bread + Parmesan = Bliss

This dish builds on a clever Tuscan trick: using toasted whole-grain bread not just to thicken the stew, but to create a golden, crisp topping thanks to a scatter of red onion, olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan. If you have a Parmesan rind hiding in the fridge (and who among us doesn’t?), drop it in. Magic happens.

A Dutch oven is perfect here

The whole works goes under high heat for a bronzing that makes Ribollita irresistible. You can find one to match virtually any color in the rainbow. Here’s a selection that’s hard to beat. https://amzn.to/44ECjEx

RIBBOLITA TUSCAN VEGETABLE STEW

December 3, 2025

Servings: 4

Total: 60 min

Difficulty: Easy

Adapted from Mark Bittman, this hearty Tuscan Ribollita recipe loaded with vegetables, beans, kale, and toasted bread. A healthy, comforting stew perfect for winter and easy weeknight dinners.

By: Monte Mathews

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans (1 14-oz can)
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 10 oz chopped kale
• 5 oz baby spinach
• 4 large thick slices whole-grain bread, toasted
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• If you have a Parmesan rind, this is its moment.

Directions

• Step 1 Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic—season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 500°F. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Add them to the pot along with the tomatoes, their juices, the stock, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes.
• Step 2 Remove the thyme stems. Stir in the kale and spinach and taste for seasoning. Lay the toasted bread slices across the top of the stew, overlapping as little as possible. Scatter the sliced red onion on top, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and blanket everything with Parmesan. Slide the pot into the oven and bake until the bread, onions, and cheese are toasted and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes if your pot fits under the broiler, even better. Ladle into bowls and be sure everyone gets a generous share of the bronzed topping.

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