Black Cabbage Soup

Name: Black Cabbage Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Italian kale (cavolo nero) (to be cleaned) 14.1 oz; Precooked chickpeas (drained weight) 3 cups; Leeks (to clean) 7 oz; Carrots 2.5 oz; Celery 2.5 oz; Tomato purée 0.8 cup; Vegetable broth approximately 2.1 cups; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Homemade bread 4 slices; Garlic 1 clove

Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Diletta Secco

Imagine a cozy evening in Tuscany, where the aroma of black cabbage soup fills the air. This dish is, to be honest, a true celebration of Italian comfort food, highlighting the unique flavors of cavolo nero, or black kale. It's a staple in Tuscan cooking, offering a deep, earthy taste that’s just perfect for those chilly days. You know, super comforting.

So, here's the thing, the soup combines tender greens, sweet leeks, and chickpeas prepared in two ways—some left whole for that creamy texture, while others are pureed into the broth. Seriously good stuff. Each spoonful of this Tuscan kale soup is rich and satisfying, like a warm hug in a bowl. Pretty much. It is a go-to meal when you want something filling yet healthy, fitting right in with other regional classics like ribollita soup, another favorite during colder months.

In Tuscany, finishing this cavolo nero soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a slice of garlic-rubbed, toasted bread is a must. That crunchy garlic bread—pretty irresistible—adds a golden, flavorful touch to each bite. I gotta say, some families even let the soup rest and reheat it for extra hearty goodness, just like they do with ribollita. And listen, with regional variations, every village may have its own twist, but black kale always remains the star.

The blend of veggies and beans makes it a dish that feels good to eat. For real, like a proper hearty vegetable soup that really really sticks with you. If you’re exploring healthy winter recipes or craving a taste of Tuscany, this Italian black cabbage soup is a must-try. It's all about simple ingredients coming together for big flavor, and you'll find yourself reaching for another bowl before you know it. Whether you're gathering with family or enjoying a quiet night in, this soup is sure to make your meal memorable and comforting. Which is great.

INGREDIENTS

Italian kale (cavolo nero) 14.1 oz (400 g) - (to be cleaned)

Precooked chickpeas 3 cups (600 g) - (drained weight)

Leeks 7 oz (200 g) - (to clean)

Carrots 2.5 oz (70 g)

Celery 2.5 oz (70 g)

Tomato purée 0.8 cup (200 g)

Vegetable broth 2.1 cups (500 g) - approximately

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Fine salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

To Complete: Homemade bread 4 slices; Garlic 1 clove

Preparation

How to prepare Black Cabbage Soup

To prepare the black cabbage soup, first clean and slice the vegetables for the sauté: clean the leek and cut 3.5 oz into rings 1, then chop the celery 2 and carrots into small cubes 3.

In a large saucepan with a drizzle of oil, add the carrots, celery 4, and half of the leeks 5. Sauté over low heat for about ten minutes until the vegetables have softened 6.

Meanwhile, clean the black cabbage 7 and coarsely chop about 7 oz of leaves 8. Once the sauté is wilted, slightly increase the heat and add the black cabbage 9.

Add the remaining leeks 10 and stir. Salt 11 and pour in the tomato puree 12.

While the black cabbage is wilting briefly, blend half of the chickpeas with a little water 13 to obtain a cream 14. Add the whole chickpeas to the saucepan 15.

Add the chickpea cream 16 and mix well to combine everything 17. Cover with vegetable broth 18 and continue cooking over medium heat for about 20 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, toast the slices of bread on a grill on both sides 19, then rub them with a clove of garlic 20. After the cooking time, the soup will be thick and hearty 21.

Complete each plate with a slice of toasted bread 22, a drizzle of oil 23, and a grind of pepper. Your black cabbage soup is ready to be enjoyed 24!

Storage

The black cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days; when reheating, you can add a little water or broth as needed to make the consistency creamier.

It can be frozen.

Advice

You can replace the chickpeas with borlotti or cannellini beans.

If you prefer to use dry chickpeas, you will need to soak and cook them separately for the time indicated on the package before adding them as directed in the recipe; in this case, you can moisten the soup with the legumes' cooking water instead of vegetable broth.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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