This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Pappa al pomodoro soup is an Italian tomato and bread soup. This authentic Italian recipe can be prepared with stale or leftover bread and tomatoes and it makes a delicious lunch. If you love fresh flavours, this light, sweet Tuscan tomato soup will definitely appeal to your palate.
A thick and chunky soup, this authentic Italian recipe is so easy to make and tastes incredible. Pappa al pomodoro soup is of the most delicious Italian lunch dishes ever.
You might also like baked feta soup and homemade tomato paste. Or how does this hearty vegetable beef stew sound?
Italian Tomato and Bread Soup Ingredients
Tomatoes are, of course, the main ingredient featured in pappa al pomodoro soup. You will need canned crushed tomatoes as well as some fresh ones.
Choose either grape or cherry tomatoes, as you prefer. Either of these will work and the main difference is the shape. Grape tomatoes are long while cherry tomatoes are round.
The other ingredients in this Tuscan tomato soup are oil, water, garlic, bread, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes season the soup and you might also like to add some burrata cheese.
Also feel free to add some sugar or sweetener if you want, although the soup is already quite sweet because of the tomatoes.
How to Prepare this Authentic Italian Recipe
Making pappa al pomodoro soup isn’t that difficult, so instead of opening a can, try this tasty recipe! Once you’ve got your fresh, stale or leftover bread and tomatoes ready, along with the other ingredients, you can get cooking.
Arrange the grape or cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and pour olive oil over them, tossing to coat. Roast in the oven for about half an hour. This brings out the natural sweetness and of course softens the ingredients too both in terms of flavour and texture.
Meanwhile, while the tomatoes and garlic are in the oven, you can bring the canned tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to a boil in a pan on the stove. Add the water then take the pan off the heat and mash the cherry tomatoes and garlic into it with a wooden spoon or similar.
The next step in this tasty Tuscan tomato soup is to crumble the bread (without the crust – keep that for another use) into the pan and stir it in. Go ahead and stir in the fresh basil too.
You can taste the soup at this point and perhaps add a pinch of sugar if you think it needs it. Divide it between serving dishes and add some burrata cheese, if using. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and maybe some balsamic vinegar also.
Best Bread to Use in Pappa al Pomodoro Soup
Although this is basically a stale or leftover bread and tomatoes based recipe, you don’t have to use stale bread. You can use fresh bread if you want. It is a great recipe if you have some slightly stale bread you need to use up though!
I typically use white bread when making this but you can use any kind of bread you have. Some types of bread are sweeter than others, which is why you should taste the soup before adding sugar – it might not need it!
Italian Tomato and Bread Soup FAQs
It depends how hungry you are really. You can enjoy it as it is or else serve some more bread on the side. Something else you could do is serve it with breaded chicken to make a complete meal.
Leftovers will be fine for 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator and you can warm the soup up in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. If you want to use it for something different, why not serve it as a sauce over noodles or mashed potatoes? Since this Italian tomato and bread soup has such a thick consistency (a bit like chilli) it works as a sauce for pasta, potatoes or your favourite kind of carb.
It has sweet and savoury notes but it isn’t spicy. The red pepper flakes do add a touch of warmth but they don’t make it spicy. You can always add a little more if you do want some more heat in there.
Pappa al Pomodoro Soup – Italian Tomato and Bread Soup Recipe
Pappa al Pomodoro Soup – Italian Tomato and Bread Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Can crushed tomatoes, 28 Ounce can
- ⅓ Cup olive oil
- 1 Cup water
- 15 Cloves garlic, add more if desired
- 2 Pints cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes
- 16 Ounces Italian bread
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper, fresh
- ½ Teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ Cup basil leaves, fresh, sliced or chopped
- 4 Bulbs Burrata cheese, optional
- 1-2 Teaspoons granulated sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves on a baking sheet that has edges. Pour the olive oil over the top and mix it so that all the tomatoes and garlic are coated. Bake in the preheated oven for approx 30 minutes until the garlic is soft and golden, and the tomatoes are roasted.
- While the tomatoes and garlic are roasting, pour the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and balsamic vinegar into a soup pot. Bring to a light boil then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer.
- When the cherry tomatoes and garlic have finished roasting, pour all of the tomatoes, garlic, along with any oil and juices on the pan into the pot with the simmering crushed tomatoes.
- Stir in 1 cup of hot water.
- Remove the pot from heat, carefully using a masher, spatula, or wooden spoon carefully mash the garlic and cherry tomatoes into the soup.
- Take the bread and crumble the insides of the bread into the soup, leaving the crust out. Mix into the soup.
- Add the basil and stir to combine.
- At this point, give the soup a taste – depending on the tomatoes it is possible the soup may need 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar to help tame the acidity.
- Spoon the soup into bowls, top with a bulb of burrata cheese, a good drizzle of olive oil, and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired.
Nutrition
Pappa al pomodoro soup is an Italian tomato soup that’s well worth making. In fact, this Tuscan tomato soup is perfect if you have stale or leftover bread and tomatoes to use up. This is an authentic Italian recipe which is ideal for lunch, or you can pair it with your favorite protein or serve it over pasta for a heartier meal.
Other Recipes You Will Love
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Just had Pappa al pomodoro soup, and it’s delicious! Light, fresh, and so comforting—great way to use up leftover bread!
I love soups! And this recipe was a true flavor bomb.
This soup recipe is a winner—it’s flavorful and so satisfying.
Cooked up this recipe and it turned out to be a winner!
I love chunky, hearty Italian soup recipes and this one didn’t disappoint
My nonna used to make this. I must try it myself