Italian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Zuppa di Cavolo Nero

Tuscan soup of black kale and cannellini beans, served over toasted bread rubbed generously with garlic.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 kg black kale (cavolo nero)
• 250 g white beans (soaked overnight)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.2 l vegetable broth
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices stale country bread
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Drain the overnight-soaked beans, bring to a boil in fresh water and cook until tender for 50 min.; salt only at the end, otherwise the skins stay tough.
2. Cut the thick center ribs out of the black kale, wash the leaves and cut into 2 cm wide strips.
3. Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery, chop two garlic cloves and sauté both in 4 tbsp olive oil over low heat for 8 min. until soft.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 min., then stir in the black kale and let it wilt for 5 min.
5. Finely purée two-thirds of the beans with a little of their cooking water, add to the pot with the whole beans and the hot broth, and simmer uncovered for 25 min. until the kale is meltingly tender; season with salt and pepper.
6. Toast the bread slices, rub with the remaining halved garlic cloves, place in deep bowls, ladle the soup over and drizzle generously with the remaining olive oil.