Description
Hearty minestrone-style ribollita reveals Tuscan culinary heritage with rustic charm. Nourishing ingredients simmer together, inviting you to savor authentic Italian comfort in each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 slices bacon (diced)
- 2 cans (14 oz / 400 g) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 small diced onion
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 jarred roasted red pepper (diced)
- 2 cans (14 oz / 400 g) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Sea or kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
- Mozzarella garlic bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Crisp bacon pieces in a large soup pot over medium heat until golden, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate while preserving the rendered fat.
- Aromatic Base: Enhance the pot with olive oil and sauté diced onions, minced garlic, chopped red pepper, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Ingredient Integration: Combine whole peeled diced tomatoes, drained chickpeas, and previously crisped bacon into the vegetable mixture, ensuring thorough incorporation of all components.
- Liquid Development: Stream chicken broth into the pot, adjusting seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Elevate heat to trigger a gentle simmer, allowing flavors to meld and intensify for 18-22 minutes while occasionally stirring.
- Final Touches: Delicately fold fresh baby spinach into the simmering mixture, permitting leaves to wilt and soften for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the robust soup into serving bowls, generously crown with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and serve alongside warm mozzarella garlic bread for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Bacon Flavor Boost: Rendering bacon fat creates a rich, smoky base that enhances the soup’s overall depth and complexity.
- Vegetable Sauté Technique: Cooking onions, garlic, and peppers until translucent releases their natural sweetness and develops a robust flavor foundation.
- Simmering Secret: Allowing the soup to gently simmer helps meld ingredients and intensify the taste profile, creating a more harmonious dish.
- Spinach Timing Tip: Adding spinach at the end preserves its bright green color, delicate texture, and maximizes nutritional value.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling, Simmering, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg