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A thick soup of mashed beans, cannellini beans and black cabbage, the soup seems to have cooked for hours and is seasoned with a drizzle of oil. Next to the soup bowl is a slice of Tuscan bread.

Bordatino alla Pisana: Bean & Black Cabbage Soup

Guido Pasquariello
A rustic, comforting soup from Pisa, Bordatino alla Pisana combines beans, black kale, and vegetables for a warm, satisfying meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Large pot
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups

Ingredients
  

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 1/3 cups kale cut into strips
  • 1 cup pureed cannellini beans
  • 2/3 cup whole cannellini beans
  • 7 1/2 cups bean cooking liquid
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal

Instructions

  • Prepare Soffritto: Finely chop garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and parsley. If you like, you can cook the garlic whole in the pan for flavor and remove it later.
    2 cloves of garlic, 2 medium onions, 2 stalks of celery, 2 carrots, 1 bunch of parsley
  • Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the chopped ingredients for about 10 minutes.
    5 tablespoons olive oil
  • Cook Kale: Add the kale strips to the pot, season with salt, stir, and cook covered for about 20 minutes until somewhat tender. Add some bean cooking liquid if it gets too dry.
    1 1/3 cups kale, Salt, 7 1/2 cups bean cooking liquid
  • Add Beans and Tomato Paste: Mix in pureed and whole cannellini beans, tomato paste, and the remaining bean cooking liquid. Cook over low heat for another 20 minutes until the kale is soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    1 cup pureed cannellini beans, 2/3 cup whole cannellini beans, Black pepper, 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • Cook Cornmeal: Stir in cornmeal and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens, stirring often. If it's too thick towards the end, you can add vegetable broth for a creamier soup.
    1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • Serve: Enjoy your Bordatino alla Pisana warm, drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

Notes

  • Black Cabbage (Kale): Black cabbage, also known as Tuscan kale or lacinato kale, can be substituted with regular curly kale if Tuscan kale is not available.
  • Cannellini Beans: If you don't have cannellini beans, Great Northern beans or navy beans are good substitutes.
  • Bean Cooking Liquid: If you don't have the liquid from cooking the beans, use a vegetable or chicken broth.
  • Tuscan Bread: While Tuscan bread is traditionally unsalted, you can use any crusty bread like a French baguette or a sourdough loaf as a side.
 
The essence of the recipe will remain the same with these substitutions, offering a similar taste and texture profile.
Feel free to adjust the thickness of the soup to your liking by adding more or less broth.