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Tuscan tomato and bread soup sprinkled with fresh cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs

Vegan Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup with Fresh Herbs

Tomato bread soup (locally called Papa Al Pomodoro) is a staple of Tuscan cuisine. As always with Tuscan dishes, stale bread is used (no waste allowed!) and creates the creamiest texture for the soup. In this non-traditional version, I added fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and oregano sprinkled on top for an extra burst of flavor. This aromatic vegan summer soup is perfect to pair with a vibrant medium-bodied red such as Chianti Classico.

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

3 and ½ cups (800 g) of homemade or store-bought tomato passata (alternatively you can use tomato pulp)

4 slices of stale bread, about 0,4 inch (1 cm) thick (or toasted bread if you don’t have stale bread on hand)

1 red onion, roughly sliced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons (9 g) of fresh oregano

1 cup (20 g) of fresh basil

5 tablespoons (75 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (150 g) of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

sea salt, to sprinkle on top

Instructions

If you don’t have stale bread, toast fresh bread

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  2. Slice the bread into 0,4 inch (1 cm) thick slices and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes. The bread should not change color and remain moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
  4. Set aside.

Otherwise, continue with the recipe

  1. In a large pot, heat 5 tablespoons (75 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced red onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft and translucent, while stirring with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the crushed garlic and stir until fragrant but not brown.
  4. Add the tomato passata or tomato pulp and cook for 10 minutes over medium flame.
  5. Meanwhile, break the stale bread (or toasted bread) into bite-size pieces.
  6. After 10 minutes, add the bread pieces and 5 basil leaves to the pot. Turn the heat down, cover with a lid, and cook for another 5 minutes over low flame.
  7. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor, you can use an immersion blender.
  8. Serve 2 ladles of soup in bowls and add ¼ of the cherry tomatoes in each bowl.
  9. Add roughly shredded basil leaves and fresh oregano on top of each bowl.
  10. Then generously drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil to serve.
  11. Enjoy with a glass of Chianti Classico! 

Nim Keys

Passata is an uncooked fresh tomato purée from Italy. Its texture is supple and its flavor very close to a fresh tomato. I recommend using homemade or good quality store-bought passata but any homemade tomato sauce will do, as well as good quality canned tomato pulp.

  • Author: Ninon
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 319
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 800.4 mg
  • Fat: 19.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.2 g
  • Protein: 6.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: summer soup, tomato soup, papa al pomodoro