The main content
Rachael Ray's Ribollita

Rachael Ray's Ribollita

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry or 3 cups cooked cannellini or borlotti beans

  • 3 tbsp. EVOO, plus more for serving

  • ¼ lb. pancetta, finely chopped

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Bundle of fresh sage and rosemary

  • 2 ribs celery, chopped

  • 1 carrot, chopped

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 bulb fennel, chopped

  • 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms

  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced

  • 1 ½ lb. kale and chard or escarole, stemmed and chopped

  • 1 Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese rind, plus grated Pecorino for serving

  • 3 quarts chicken stock

  • 1 tomato, peeled and finely chopped or 1/2 cup tomato puree

  • ¾ lb. torn peasant bread, toasted

  • Chopped raw white onion, for serving 

Directions

  • Step 1

    Boil the beans in salted water until tender, about 1 hour; drain. Transfer half of the beans to a food processor and puree. In a large pot, heat the EVOO, three turns of the pan, over medium-high. Stir in the pancetta, bay leaf, and herb bundle. Cook, stirring often, until the pancetta renders, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, onion, fennel, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans, then add the greens and stir until wilted. Add the cheese rind, chicken stock and tomato.

  • Step 2

    Let the soup simmer until the flavors meld, about 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf, herb bundle, and cheese rind. Stir the toasted bread into the soup and stir to thicken. Simmer, stirring, until the soup has a stew-like consistency. The soup is done when a wooden spoon can stand straight up when placed in the center of the pot.

  • Step 3

    Ladle the ribollita into shallow bowls. Top with EVOO, the raw onion, and lots of Pecorino cheese.