Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe: Easy Italian Tomato Soup

Pappa al pomodoro is a delicious Tuscan dish with bread, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil. It’s a hearty and comforting tomato soup that is full of flavour and perfect for a chilly evening. This popular Italian soup is easy and cheap to make, so it is suitable for kitchen novices and those on a budget. While it is usually eaten hot with bread or croutons, it is also delicious when served cold, like gazpacho or borscht. Therefore, it is a soup that you can eat at any time of the year. Here is our easy pappa al pomodoro recipe.

Useful Information

Ingredients for Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe

• 2 x 400g cans of good-quality chopped tomatoes
• 200g of stale bread with crusts removed and torn into chunks
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic
• A small handful of fresh basil
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make the Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe

1. Put the olive oil in a large pan over low heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, sugar, and vegetable stock to the pan. Cook for another 15 minutes to allow the soup to reduce.
3. Next, add the torn bread to the pan, season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook it for another ten minutes.
4. Serve in bowls and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Additional Tips

• Use dried basil if you do not have fresh basil available.
• Serve the soup with croutons or the bread of your choice.
• Add one fresh chilli or a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes if you want a little heat in the soup.