I’ve been making traditional ribollita (with chicken broth and pancetta) but wanted to experiment with a vegetarian version to serve to one of my vegetarian friends. I’m not a huge fan of pre-made vegetable broth and I needed a smokey substitute for the pancetta – so I chose fennel, leeks and smoked gouda.
Watch this video for a quick view of the process.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hr. 30 minutes
Servings: 8 hearty bowls
Vegetarian Ribollita
Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, Rough Chop
1 Fennel Bulb, Rough Chop
2 Leeks, Rough Chop
5 Carrots, Rough Chop
4 Cloves Garlic, Rough Chop
6 Cups Water
1 – 28 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
3 – 16 Oz. Cans Cannellini Beans, Drained
1 Box Frozen Chopped Spinach
3 Bay Leaves, 2 Tsp. Oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 – 3 oz Block Smoked Gouda
Cover the bottom of a large pot with olive oil. Over medium heat, saute onions, fennel, leeks, carrots and garlic until onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for about an hour until carrots are tender. Before serving, remove bay leaves.
Croutons
1 Loaf Ciabatta Bread (pre-sliced or whole)
Olive Oil Drizzle
Preheat oven to 375. Slice bread into chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Bake about 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on the process. For best results, stir the croutons after about 5 minutes.
Plating
Place desired amount of croutons on bottom of large bowl. Ladle soup over croutons. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
Alternatives
Replace the water with 48 oz. chicken broth. Replace smoked gouda with 6 oz. chopped pancetta.
Replace spinach with chopped fresh kale.
For a richer broth, add 1 T. tomato paste.