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Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro

5 from 12 community reviews

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Tomatoes are the star ingredient in homemade pappa al pomodoro, a Tuscan-style tomato bread soup. This rustic soup is incredibly simple, calling for just a handful of basic ingredients: fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and crusty bread. Itโ€™s a classic Italian tomato puree thickened with bread, rather than milk, cream or cheese.

Pappa al pomodoro soup in a bowl, with croutons and fresh basil on top.

Fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil come together in this rustic, comforting homemade tomato basil soup, made thick and creamy with pureed breadcrumbs. Learn how to make rustic and delicious Pappa al Pomodoro with this basic recipe.

Tuscan tomato and bread soup recipe is all about capturing the essence of ripe fresh tomatoes โ€” then getting the heck out of the way! It shows that even the most simply prepared food, like all of my homemade soup recipes, can often be the most satisfying and memorable.

What is pappa al pomodoro?

Pomodoro means tomato in Italian. Pappa al pomodoro originates from Tuscany. It’s a simple tomato soup thickened with bread. The traditional Italian peasant dish uses just a few ingredients that stretch out to make a hearty meal. Basically, think of it as a type of thick, savory porridge.

I was lucky to eat the most delicious pappa al pomodoro on a late summer day in Italy. I was visiting a winery in Tuscany and the vintner’s wife made the soup for lunch with freshly picked tomatoes still warm from the sun.

One taste of that dish captivated me, and I still dream about it! The soup is rich and tasty with not much more than tomatoes, olive oil and seasoning.

A bowl of fresh vine tomatoes, basil leaves, an onion, and cubed bread on a cutting board.

Main ingredients

  • Tomatoes: Italian food expert Nancy Harmon Jenkins stresses the importance of using “red, utterly ripe fresh tomatoes” when making authentic Tuscan tomato soup. That would mean getting your hands on great tomatoes, usually found in farmer’s markets or your own garden. Realistically, that’s not always possible. Grocery store vine tomatoes will work too (they’re what I use) as well as canned whole tomatoes.
  • Stale bread: Authentic Tuscan bread is a type of rustic bread that doesn’t contain salt. A day-old Italian-style loaf such as ciabatta or a baguette are good substitutes. Feel free to trim the crusts if they are too hard.
  • Water: Traditional pappa al pomodoro is made with a base or water and tomato juice, but you can use vegetable broth if you like. I think chicken stock overwhelms the pure taste of the tomatoes.

Recipe steps

Recipe tips

  • If you’d rather not haul out your blender or don’t have one, you can combine the bread cubes, water, olive oil, garlic and salt in a large bowl and let sit for 30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the bread is soft. Mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher โ€” it doesn’t need to be absolutely smooth.
  • Peeling the tomatoes is mostly for looks and texture. Go ahead and skip the blanching step and peeling if you enjoy the texture of the whole tomato.
    Tomato soup in a bowl, with croutons on top and fresh basil.

    Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro

    Karen Tedesco
    Tomatoes are the star ingredient in homemade pappa al pomodoro, a Tuscan-style tomato bread soup. This rustic soup is incredibly simple, calling for just a handful of basic ingredients: fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and crusty bread. Itโ€™s a classic Italian tomato puree thickened with bread, rather than milk, cream or cheese.
    Print
    5 from 12 community reviews
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Course Soup and Stew
    Cuisine Vegetarian
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups cubed crusty bread
    • โ…” cup (160 ml) water
    • 6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with blade of a knife
    • Kosher salt
    • 1 cup yellow or white onion, finely chopped
    • 3 pounds (1.35 kg) fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups) *see note below for how to peel, or 2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • Handful fresh basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped

    Instructions 

    • Put 2 cups of the bread cubes in a blender or food processor along with the water, ยผ cup olive oil, garlic and ยฝ teaspoon salt. Blend to form a smooth paste.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot and place over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until onion is very soft, but not browned, 8-10 minutes.
    • Add tomatoes, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue cooking the tomatoes until they become very soft, about 25 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, mash the tomatoes into a coarse puree.
    • Add the bread mixture to the tomatoes and stir. If the soup seems very thick, add a little bit more water to thin it out. The texture should be dense and creamy, but still spoonable. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat.
    • Drizzle olive oil over the remaining bread cubes. Put them in a skillet over medium-high heat and toast until golden and crisp, stirring them around, for about 5 minutes.
    • Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with the toasted bread, basil leaves an a swirl of olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Karen’s Notes and Tips

    To peel tomatoes: Fill a 4 or 5 quart pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop in the tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Use a small sharp knife to slit the skins on the bottom of tomatoes, then slip off the skins. Roughly chop and transfer to a bowl, along with any juice they exude.
    Storing leftovers: The soup is best served fresh within 3 days. Keep refrigerated and warm gently in a saucepan to reheat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 158kcal Carbohydrates: 31g Protein: 6g Fat: 2g Sodium: 208mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 11g

    Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

    Recipe developer Karen Tedesco of the popular website Familystyle Food in her kitchen making a kale salad.

    Hey, I’m Karen

    Creator of Familystyle Food

    I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.

    5 from 12 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    8 Comments

    1. Thanks so much for your recipe! I first had this soup in Lucca and haven’t stopped thinking about it. Your recipe is super easy and authentic. I loved making the soup – it brings me back to Tuscany – sitting in the shade while the midday sun beats on the expansive stone-paved square.

      1. Ryan, Iโ€™m so glad this brought back those beautiful memories! I can picture that sunny piazza ๐Ÿ™‚ It really is the kind of dish that transports you.

    2. 5 stars
      This was so easy and delicious! i Used the canned tomato option and added gnocchi!

    3. 5 stars
      We stopped at a farm stand out east on Long Island to buy some tomatoes…’tis the season! Also have a loaf of bread, an onion and of course, garlic is a staple in our kitchen. We’ll be making Pappa al Pomodoro!

      1. Carl that sounds perfect! Enjoy the soup and every minute of the summer! xo

    4. How gorgeous! I can’t get enough tomatoes and this looks perfect!