Italian Vegetable Soup

Lisa Keys

5 from 3 votes

This Italian vegetable soup that features stale bread as a thickener is a Tuscan treasure that embodies rustic charm and heartwarming simplicity.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings: 6 servings

Course: lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 226

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic chopped
1 large shallot or small red onion diced
2 large leeks white and light green parts only, diced
4 large carrots peeled and diced
1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
3 leafy celery stalks diced
6 cups liquid tomato juice, chicken broth, water combination
1 (2-3-inch) piece parmesan cheese rind
1 bunch lacinato kale stemmed, leaves roughly chopped
¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley or other fresh herbs
1 (14 oz.) can small white beans, such as cannellini, navy, or cranberry or 2 cups cooked beans
2 cups fresh or stale rustic crusty bread torn into 1-inch cubes
2-3 teaspoons Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat with garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and very lightly golden. Add shallot, leeks, carrots, squash, and celery and cook, stirring, until slightly softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add enough liquid to slightly cover vegetables (about 6 cups) along with kale, parsley and cheese rind. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower heat to maintain simmer and cook until vegetables are very tender, 20-25 minutes.
Stir in beans and their liquid. Add bread, stir well, and simmer until bread is very soft and breaking down, about 15 minutes. Add water, ½ cup at a time, if soup becomes too thick and dry.
Season with salt and pepper.

Thicken the soup with the bread to your desired consistency. Use less bread for a brothy soup or more bread until thickened like porridge.

Feel free to alter the vegetables according to personal taste or season. I recommend leaving in the garlic, leeks, carrots, and celery.

Lacinato kale or fresh spinach are my greens of choice but cabbage can be used.

You can use canned or cooked-from-dried beans. If using homemade cooked beans include 1 cup of the cooking liquid in the soup.

Any fresh herbs like oregano, basil or rosemary can be added.