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tomato and bread tuscan soup recipe

Pappa al Pomodoro (Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup)

Pappa al pomodoro is a cozy Tuscan tomato bread soup made with crushed canned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, and torn Italian bread. Slow simmering turns simple pantry ingredients into a thick, creamy, comforting bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Tuscan
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for finishing
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cans 28 oz total whole canned tomatoes
  • 4 –5 cups warm vegetable stock more as needed
  • 8 –10 oz Italian bread torn into rough pieces
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves torn
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Optional swaps
  • Chicken stock instead of vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste for deeper flavor
  • Pinch of sugar if tomatoes taste sharp

Method
 

Warm the oil
  1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it shimmer.
Bloom aromatics
  1. Add red pepper flakes and sliced garlic. Stir gently for about 1 minute, until garlic turns pale gold and fragrant. Do not brown.
Soften the onion
  1. Add chopped onion with a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Keep the heat moderate so the onion stays sweet.
Add tomatoes
  1. Tip the canned tomatoes into the pot and crush them by hand directly in the pot. Stir well so the juices mix with the oil and aromatics. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Add bread and stock
  1. Tear the bread into rough pieces and stir it into the tomatoes. Add warm vegetable stock a few cups at a time. Stir gently as the bread absorbs liquid.
Simmer slowly
  1. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer gently for 25–40 minutes. Stir occasionally, breaking down the bread with a spoon, until the texture is thick, creamy, and spoonable.
Season and finish
  1. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. If needed, add a spoon of tomato paste or a pinch of sugar to balance acidity. Stir in torn basil.
Serve
  1. Let the soup rest a few minutes. Finish each bowl with a generous drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper. Add a splash of warm stock if it thickens too much.

Notes

  • This soup thickens as it rests. Reheat gently and loosen with warm stock or water.
  • Warm stock helps the bread break down faster and more evenly.
  • Finish with good olive oil at the table—it makes a noticeable difference.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day.