Explore Guides
Local food map
Florence (Italy)
Hotels in area
Soup
Vegetarian
Food Flavour DNA
Nutritional Values
250kcal
12gProtein
45gCarbs
6gFat
8gFibre
400 gServing
* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.
Allergens
🌾 Gluten
Tuscan White Bean Soup
How to order / say it
Say it
Zuppa di fagioli — [ZOOP-pah dee fah-JYO-lee]
Order
I'd like the Tuscan white bean soup, please.
Locally
Vorrei la zuppa di fagioli, per favore.
Say locally
A hearty soup of white beans, vegetables, and stale bread.
Why try it?
This soup embodies the essence of Tuscan peasant cooking, showcasing how simple, local ingredients can create a nourishing and delicious meal. It reflects the frugality and rustic charm of Florentine cuisine.
How it tastes
Rich and earthy, this soup is full-bodied with an unassuming depth from the beans and vegetables. The bread adds a comforting thickness, and the herbs infuse it with a fragrant warmth.
Origin & History — first documented: 1650
Originating in the Middle Ages, ribollita was a way for Florentines to make use of leftover bread and vegetables. Traditionally, it was reheated daily, costing little but offering sustenance throughout the week.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 🫘 250 g Cannellini beans
- 🥕 200 g Tuscan kale
- 🥕 100 g Carrots
- 🥕 100 g Celery
- 🌾 200 g Stale bread
- 🫒 50 ml Olive oil
- 🧄 2 cloves Garlic
- 🥣 1 liter Vegetable stock
- 🧂 10 g Salt
- 🧂 5 g Pepper
- 🌿 5 g Thyme
Method
- 1 Soak beans overnight, then drain and rinse.
- 2 Sauté garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil until softened.
- 3 Add stock, beans, kale, and seasonings, simmer for 90 minutes.
- 4 Stir in bread to thicken, season to taste, and serve hot.
More from Florence
Main course
Vegetarian
Truffle Pasta
Tagliatelle al Tartufo
tah-lyah-TELL-leh al tar-TOO-foh
Tagliatelle pasta with a luxurious truffle sauce.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Meat
Florentine Tripe
Trippa alla Fiorentina
TREE-pah ah-lah fee-or-en-TEE-nah
A traditional stewed tripe dish in tomato sauce.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Vegetarian
Florentine Bean Soup
Fagioli all'uccelletto
fah-j'YOH-lee ahl-loo-chel-LEH-toh
A warming dish of beans cooked in tomato sauce with sage.
Starter
Fish & Seafood
Fried Zucchini Flowers
Fiori di Zucca Fritti
FYO-ree dee TSOO-kah FREET-tee
Battered zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and anchovies.
© Wikimedia Commons
Dessert
Vegetarian
Florentine Schiacciata
Schiacciata alla Fiorentina
ski-ah-CHA-tah ah-lah fee-oh-ren-TEE-nah
A soft, sweet flatbread dusted with powdered sugar.
© Wikimedia Commons
Dessert
Vegetarian
Cantucci with Vin Santo
Cantucci e Vin Santo
kan-TOO-chee eh VEEN SAN-toh
Almond biscotti cookies served with a sweet dessert wine.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Fish & Seafood
Cacciucco
kah-CHOO-ko
A rich seafood stew with tomatoes, garlic, and white wine.
🥩
Starter
Meat
Chicken Liver Crostini
Crostini di fegatini
kroh-STEE-nee dee feh-ga-TEE-nee
A Tuscan starter of toasted bread topped with savory chicken liver pâté.
© Wikimedia Commons
Street food
Meat
Lampredotto Sandwich
Panino con il Lampredotto
pah-NEE-noh kohn eel lahm-preh-DOH-toh
Florentine street food sandwich with boiled tripe.
© Wikimedia Commons
Soup
Vegetarian
Papa al Pomodoro
pah-pah ahl poh-moh-DOHR-oh
A thick Tuscan soup made with tomatoes, stale bread, and olive oil.