Ribollita Slow Cooker Whip Up

I’ve always been a big fan of soup. My fondness for those tasty bowls of liquid goodness is a byproduct of growing up in a family that made outstanding homemade soups, year round. That’s right, no family members would have been caught dead serving canned soup. So, I guess you could say I was culinary spoiled as a child!

Although I tend to eat it year round, there’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of savory to warm your bones during the winter. Soup may very well be the most versatile food that a vegan can cook. There are endless recipes and lots of wiggle room to experiment. Besides, most soups are cheap, easy, fun to make, and hard to screw up.

Crock pots can be your BFF if you’re busy or afraid of overcooking your soup. As it turns out, Mac used our crock pot to make her very own yummy Ribollita soup that we finished in two days! She was inspired by a great Ribollita we had, thanks to The Regal Vegan.  If you’re not familiar with Ribollita, it’s an Italian soup similar to a tomato Florentine, but heartier with a little bite. Mac is not a huge fan of soups, but lately she’s been more willing to make a try at different types. I hope she continues her soup curiosity, because this one was a home run!

Slow Macachoke Ribollita
Source: Macaroon in a Soupy Mood
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 28oz can of peeled whole tomatoes
• 1lb fresh kale, cleaned and chopped
• 1 15oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 6 c. vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp. vegan Parmesan cheese. We recommend Parma’s “Garlicky Green Parma!” cheese
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 6-8 slices of hearty country bread or 1/2 French baguette, cubed

Directions:

1. Place canned tomatoes into slow cooker bowl. Using a spoon, break up the tomatoes a bit
2. Add remaining ingredients and give a few stirs to toss together
3. Set slow cooker on High. Cook for 4-5 hours
4. When ready, place bread cubes in bowl. Ladle soup over bread and serve