Ribbolita soup + homemade croutons
Print

Ribbolita Soup + Homemade Croutons | Vegan

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

A simple recipe for Ribbolita soup with homemade croutons, healthy, hearty and delicious, sure to please the whole family. Perfect any day! 

Ingredients

  • extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
  • 2 onions minced
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 500 g /1.1 lb butternut squash peeled, and cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1/2-1 cabbage of your choice: green, Savoy, or red (approx. 450g/1 lb), cut in quarters, and finely sliced
  • 4 cups of finely sliced organic kale (I used Lacinato kale)
  • 1 large can of organic diced tomatoes (28 oz/796 ml) or 2 small cans
  • 1 large can of cannellini beans (28 oz/796 ml) or 2 small cans
  • 10 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley chopped, on top

Croutons

  • 4 large slices of fresh crusty bread (I used organic spelt bread)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 pinches sea salt
  • a few pinches of black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dry oregano
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder a big pinch

Instructions

  1. In a very large pot, over medium heat, drizzle the bottom with olive oil (about 2-3 Tbsp is usually enough), and sauté the onions for a few minutes. Then add the butternut cubes and the cabbage, and 2 minutes later, the garlic and the kale.
  2. Sauté everything until it starts to roast just a bit.
  3. Add the beans, the oregano and chili flakes, the canned tomatoes, and mix.
  4. Add the water (or broth) and bring to a boil.
  5. If using bouillon cubes, put them in a separate bowl and use some of the boiling water to dissolve them first before returning to the pot. They dissolve faster that way then trying to mix them in the whole pot.
  6. Bring to a boil again, then reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and let simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
  7. To make the croutons, cut the slices of bread with a sharp knife into bite-size chunks.
  8. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix the olive oil and spices really well.
  9. Put all the bread chunks in it and mix quickly until they are all covered with the spice mixture.
  10. Pour on a large baking sheet (I always line it with parchment paper), spreading them so that the pieces of bread are not overcrowded or touching each other, and bake at 400F for 10 minutes, or until the bread starts looking golden.
  11. Turn oven off and open the door, but you can keep them warm in there until the soup is ready. (they taste just as good cold, but I like them warm)
  12. When the soup is ready, add the salt and pepper, mix, and serve right away, with chopped fresh parsley and croutons on top.

Note: I do not believe anyone should worry about counting calories, but here is the nutritional information for one serving
Calories: 299kcal | Fat: 10g | Saturated fat: 1g | Sodium: 1893mg | Potassium: 1061mg | Carbohydrates: 44g | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Protein: 10g | Vitamin A: 8645% | Vitamin C: 59.5% | Calcium: 186% | Iron: 5.1%