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Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato and Bread Soup) Recipe

Daniel Gritzer
Published: Last Updated:
Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato and Bread Soup) Recipe

This Tuscan bread-and-tomato soup is one of the best ways to enjoy tomatoes in the winter. [Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Just because it's no longer tomato season doesn't mean it's time to stop eating tomatoes. The Tuscan tomato-bread soup known as pappa al pomodoro, for instance, is perfect made with good-quality canned tomatoes and plenty of olive oil.

Why It Works

  • While this dish is traditionally designed to use stale bread, this version works just as well with fresh, which softens faster and saves time.
  • Hand-crushing the tomatoes creates a pleasantly chunky texture.

Read more: Pappa al Pomodoro: The Tuscan Tomato Soup for Every Season

  • Yield:Serves 4
  • Active time: 40 minutes
  • Total time:40 minutes
  • Rated: 5

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juices
  • 2 sprigs fresh basil, plus torn leaves for serving
  • 1/3 pound (about 6 ounces) fresh or stale rustic bread, torn or cut into 1-inch chunks (see note)
  • 2 cups warm Quick and Easy Vegetable Stock, plus more as needed (see note)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. 1.

    In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic just begins to turn golden. Add onion and cook, stirring, just until softened, about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and their juices, along with basil sprigs, and bring to a simmer.

  2. 2.

    Stir in bread. Ladle stock on top, stirring to combine. Simmer bread, adding more stock as needed, until bread is completely softened and custardy and soup has thickened to a porridge-like consistency, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard basil sprigs.

  3. 3.

    Spoon into bowls, generously drizzle with olive oil, and grind black pepper on top. Garnish with torn basil leaves and serve.

This Recipe Appears In
Pappa al Pomodoro: The Tuscan Tomato Soup for Every Season

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Daniel Gritzer Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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