Cannellini, Kale, and Bread Soup
This thick Tuscan soup is called ribollita, Italian for re boiled, because it’s traditionally made with leftover beans, vegetables, and stale bread. But this version starts fresh with soaked cannellini beans, delicate savoy cabbage, and sturdy lacinato kale, ribs and all—the Instant Pot makes them all meltingly tender in no time.
This thick Tuscan soup is called ribollita, Italian for re boiled, because it’s traditionally made with leftover beans, vegetables, and stale bread. But this version starts fresh with soaked cannellini beans, delicate savoy cabbage, and sturdy lacinato kale, ribs and all—the Instant Pot makes them all meltingly tender in no time.
- salt and pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 cup pancetta (diced, from a 1/2-inch- thick slab, or
- 1 carrot (finely diced)
- 1 rib celery (finely diced)
- 4 cups savoy cabbage (chopped)
- 4 cups lacinato kale (chopped including center ribs)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken, homemade or low-sodi
- 3 cups cannellini beans (soaked, from 1 1/2 cups dried be see note)
- 1 rind parmesan cheese (2-inch, optional)
- 1 pinch red chile flakes
- 2 cups rustic bread (1-inch pieces, crusts discarded, 4
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (homemade or jarred warmed)
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (3g)
- Sodium 12.2800954861111 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Put the oil in the pot, select Saute, and adjust to More/High heat. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 2 minutes. Carefully spoon out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion is just tender, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds. Press Cancel.
- Add the cabbage, kale, broth, beans, cheese rind (if using), red chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Lock on the lid, select the Pressure Cook function, and adjust to High pressure for 15 minutes. Make sure the steam valve is in the “Sealing†position and that the “Keep Warm†button is off.
- When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes and then quick- release the remaining pressure. Stir the bread and marinara sauce into the soup and let stand for 2 minutes. Discard the cheese rind and season the soup with salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Adding the rustic bread cubes directly into the entire cooking pot before storage creates a gluey, disintegrated mass by day two. Starch molecules from the bread swell uncontrollably when subjected to prolonged moisture, turning a robust broth into paste. Isolating the liquid base from the carbohydrate component remains mandatory for maintaining structural integrity across meal prep cycles. Pressure cooking the cannellini beans and lacinato kale for 15 minutes yields a completely tender foundation that holds up brilliantly in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Portion the bean and vegetable mixture into airtight containers while omitting the bread entirely until the final reheating phase on the stovetop. When thermal energy hits the cold broth, stir in fresh one-inch bread chunks and warm the mixture gently over medium-low heat for roughly five minutes until the liquid reduces and coats the rustic crumb properly. Removing the parmesan rind before storage prevents rubbery protein lumps from forming during the chilling process.
Swapping the pancetta for extra virgin olive oil accommodates vegetarian diets without sacrificing the savory depth traditionally provided by rendered cured pork fat.
