INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in Le Cruset dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and dried red pepper flakes. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until partially softened.
3. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Stir in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and 2 BOU Vegetable Cubes (crumble into pot with your fingers). Then add 4 cups of water.
6. Add thyme, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind (if available) and bring to a simmer. Stir gently.
7. In a small bowl, pour about 1/4 of the cannellini beans with a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid and mash them together with a fork to form a paste. Pour the paste and the remaining whole beans into the soup and stir to combine. (The mashed beans will help to thicken the soup as it cooks.)
8. Simmer the soup with the lid slightly ajar, about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but still al dente.
9. Add the bread and simmer, partially covered, for another 5 to 7 minutes. The bread will start to dissolve into the soup and thicken it further.
10. Before serving, remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the stew into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. BOU Appetit!

Recipe inspired by Food52 Tuscan Ribollita