A wooden table displays a bowl of nutritious soup, brimming with beans and assorted vegetables

Leftover Ribollita

This tasty Italian dish is perfect for using up leftovers. Its name, ribollita, means "reboiled," which is what you do with it! You can make a big pot and heat it up for days. It's great for using leftover cannellini beans and any cooked or raw veggies you have lying around. If you have a piece of Parmesan rind, toss it in for extra flavour!

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt, and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, and any leftover root vegetables, cooking for an additional minute.
  4. Add the stock, tomatoes, and pulses. If you have one, toss in a Parmesan rind and season with a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat.
  5. Cook gently for 30 minutes, adding any raw greens 5–10 minutes before the end to let them tenderize. Add cooked greens at the end just to heat through.
  6. Remove the rosemary sprig and Parmesan rind, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Lightly toast the bread and rub it with the cut surface of the garlic.
  8. Place a slice of toast in each warmed bowl, then ladle the ribollita over the top. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • Small sprig of rosemary
  • Any roast roots, such as carrots, parsnips, celeriac, even potatoes, chopped fairly small
  • 1–1.5 litres veg stock, depending on the amount of veg and pulses you’re using
  • 400g tin whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 200–400g cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed if tinned
  • 100–150g cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if tinned
  • Piece of Parmesan rind (optional)
  • Few handfuls of shredded greens, fresh or leftover (see tips and swaps)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

  • 4–6 slices of slightly stale sourdough bread
  • 1 garlic clove, halved Some well-flavoured extra virgin olive oil
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