HAVE YOU EVER TRIED A RIBOLLITA RECIPE?

A Ribollita recipe,  LVL-style, on today’s #LunchBreakLIVE.  Vegan chef, Lucia Grillo shares her take on the classic Tuscan dish, but she adds a twist! You are in for a treat with today’s guest who is an award-winning filmmaker, activist, and host of LVL •  Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle. Let’s take a look at what twist Lucia throws into this delicious plant-based recipe…

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF VEGAN LIVING

Lucia Grillo is an actress, award-winning filmmaker, activist, and host of Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle, who became vegetarian at age 12 and fully vegan in 1996.

Most well-known for her work as an actress with directors such as Spike Lee and Tony Gilroy, opposite Oscar winners and international stars, and for her award-winning films, Lucia is also a TV host, correspondent, and journalist in the world of American & Italian cinema and on cultural programs – as well as on her own show, Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle.

After the enormous success of the vegan segments she produced & hosted on her previous TV show, Lucia was urged to create a fully vegan show, given her unique perspective on vegan living and her lifestyle, which some consider unusual “for a vegan.”  The show’s motto is “Compassionate Living – Without Sacrifice!” and Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle is the only show dedicated to 100% all-around vegan living… that also actually airs on TV!

Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle airs on MNN Lifestyle Channel to nearly 1M viewers throughout New York City and streams on the Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle YouTube Channel. Lucia’s Vegan Lifestyle is a cross-platform entity: with Lucia herself as a vegan influencer modeling for luxe vegan brands; LVL Media being the sole company focused on creating promotional cinematographic (and comedic, tantalizing, sexy) films & photo series exclusively for vegan brands; and the only vegan influencer invited to join & host on the new Amazon Live platform – helping people live their best vegan lives! LVL is sophisticated yet fun and Lucia aims to make veganism accessible to everyone.

Join Lucia in Tuscany June 2022 for a vegan luxury tour – LVL-style!

SO WHAT’S THE TWIST IN THIS RIBOLLITA RECIPE?

Tuscan Ribollita is traditionally prepared with greens, cannellini beans, and stale bread. Part of the cucina povera or “poor cooking” refers to the frugality and creativity of the no-waste rural Italian kitchen. Ribollita – made using leftovers – was usually prepared on Fridays, a “giorno di magra:” “lean days,” when Italians abstained from eating meat – or, as we might refer to it today, Meatless Friday! Inherently plant-based and vegan, this dish is a perfectly delicious way to warm up while getting in your greens & proteins.

The twist: since her parents – Papà Chef & Mamma Maria, hail from Calabria and made a similar dish when she was growing up, Lucia added some Calabrian heat!

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Ribollita with a Twist

Tuscan ribollita is traditionally prepared with greens, cannellini beans, and stale bread. Part of the cucina povera or “poor cooking” that refers to the frugality and creativity of the no-waste rural Italian kitchen, ribollita – made using leftovers – was usually prepared on Fridays, a “giorno di magra:” “lean days,” when Italians abstained from eating meat – or, as we might refer to it today, Meatless Friday! Inherently plant-based vegan, this dish is a perfectly delicious way to warm up while getting in your greens & proteins. The twist: since her parents – Papà Chef & Mamma Maria, hail from Calabria and made a similar dish when she was growing up, Lucia is adding some Calabrian heat!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cans 800 gr cannellini beans, canned or ½ lb. dried (1 1/3 cups), and reserved liquid
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ onion chopped
• 1 carrot chopped
• 1 celery stalk chopped
• 1 garlic clove diced
• 2-3 sprigs thyme leaves only
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 medium potato diced
• 1 bunch lacinato kale
• ½ head Savoy cabbage about ¾ lb.
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 fresh tomato chopped (or 1 tbsp. tomato paste or 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes)
• ½ lb. rustic bread stale
• 2 liters vegetable broth
• Black pepper to taste
• Calabrian peperoncino to taste
• Tools:
• 3 quart pot
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Fork
• Clay cooking pot or non-metallic pot/dish
• Wooden spoon

Instructions

 

• Heat 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrot, celery, garlic and onion, stirring frequently, until golden in color, about 7-8 minutes. Add the diced potato & thyme and stir. Toss in the tomato and cook for a few seconds. Add the greens: kale, cabbage, Swiss chard, and the water from the beans.
• Cook 1-2 hours on low heat, adding vegetable broth a little at a time.
• Smash 1/2 of the beans (1 can/400 grams), toss them into the pot with the vegetables, and cook 30 minutes. Add the remaining beans & vegetable broth, salt & pepper to taste – plus peperoncino if you want to spice it up – and cook an additional 30 minutes.
• Arrange the bread slices in the clay pot and pour the vegetable mixture over it.
• Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 4 hours or overnight.
• Reheat the soup, adding salt & pepper to taste, if needed, drizzle it with EVOO, boil for a few minutes at low heat, and serve warm.

Keyword vegan

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR LUNCH

This was such a fun and delicious episode of #LunchBreakLIVE.  Give this Ribollita recipe a try and let us know how you liked it.  Take a photo and tag @JaneUnChainedNEWS on Instagram.  Interested in other easy plant-based recipes to try?  Be sure to stop by the #LunchBreakLIVE page, where we have a ton to choose from.  Until next time…keep cookin’!