- Soup
- Main
- Beans & lentils
- Italian
- One pot
- Make-ahead
- Stovetop
- Budget-friendly
- Beginner-friendly
Good for, as AI judged the whole recipe.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tbsp in step 1, 3 tbsp in step 7
- 1
large onion, finely chopped
- 2
carrots, finely chopped
- 2
celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 cloves
garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 pinch
red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp
tomato paste
- 1 can
whole peeled tomatoes (14.5 oz), crushed by hand
- 2 cans
cannellini beans (15 oz each), drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch
cavolo nero (lacinato / Tuscan kale), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- 1
Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 sprig
rosemary
- 5 cups
water or vegetable broth
- 8 oz
day-old crusty bread, crusts left on, torn into rough 1-inch pieces
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
- Vegetarian
Contains milk (grated Parmesan).
Whether it’s vegetarian depends on the grated Parmesan: check the label.
Not checked: Parmesan rind, water or vegetable broth, day-old crusty bread.
Diets guessed by AI from the ingredients, not checked.
Steps
- Step 1
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a good pinch of salt and cook gently, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet but not browned, 12–15 minutes.
15 min
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- Step 2
Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, another minute so it darkens slightly.
2 min
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Step 3
Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice and simmer 5 minutes, until slightly thickened and no longer raw-tasting.
5 min
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- Step 4
Scoop out about 1 cup of the beans and mash them to a paste with a fork, then add all the beans (mashed and whole) to the pot along with the cavolo nero, Parmesan rind, rosemary sprig and the water. Stir, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
5 min
- 2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz each)
- 1 bunch cavolo nero (lacinato / Tuscan kale)
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 5 cups water or vegetable broth
- Step 5
Simmer partly covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cavolo nero is completely tender and the broth tastes rich. Fish out the rosemary stem and the Parmesan rind. Season well with salt and pepper — it should taste a little strong, since the bread will soak it up.
30 min, hands-off
- 8 oz day-old crusty bread
- salt
- Step 6
Stir in the torn bread, pushing it under the surface. Simmer gently over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom so it doesn't catch, until the bread has dissolved into the soup and it is thick enough that a spoon stands up in it for a second. If it gets too stiff, loosen with a splash of water.
15 min
- 8 oz day-old crusty bread
- Step 7
Take off the heat and let it sit 10 minutes to settle. Taste again for salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and finish each with a generous drizzle of the remaining 3 tbsp raw olive oil, plus grated Parmesan if you like.
10 min, hands-off
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Parmesan
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026