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    Recipes » Soup » Italian Soups

    Pappa al Pomodoro

    Published: Aug 20, 2020 · Modified: Aug 20, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 20 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    pappa al pomodoro served in a white bowl

    I started making Pappa al Pomodoro not long after a trip to Italy. Even though we were there in the autumn, I've never had sweeter tomatoes. In Tuscany, this soup was on almost every restaurant menu and we never had a bowl of it that wasn't memorably delicious. After our trip, I was delighted to discover how easy it is to make at home.

    Pappa al Pomodoro served in a white bowl on a linen napkin photographed from above

    This thick, porridge-like Tuscan bread soup transforms tomatoes, broth, and bread into something wonderful. One of the most versatile and forgiving soups I know, it's delectable at any temperature: hot, room temperature or cold.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Pappa al Pomodoro
    • Recipe Options:
    • Did you know...?
    • More Classic Italian Soup Recipes
    • How to Make Pappa al Pomodoro
    • Pappa al Pomodoro
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Pappa al Pomodoro

    Pappa al Pomodoro Ingredients on a white marble board
    • Crusty Bread: Any crusty bread will do, but be sure to remove the crust so the bread can meld into the other ingredients.
    • Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    • Broth or Stock: I've called for chicken broth in this recipe, but you can use beef broth instead or a mixture of the two. Vegetable broth will also work.
    • Basil: Look for a bunch of perky, deeply green fresh basil.
    • Garlic: Look for a firm, tight bulb with plump cloves and shiny, taut skin.
    • Onion: Yellow onion or leeks. I love to make this soup with leeks, but they aren't always available.
    • Canned Tomatoes or Fresh Ripe Tomatoes: If using canned, look for San Marzano tomatoes either whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes in puree instead of diced tomatoes that resist breaking down. If using fresh tomatoes, you’ll need about 2 pounds (10 to 12), whole, peeled tomatoes, to equal 1 28-ounce can. Here is an easy method for peeling tomatoes.
    • Olive Oil: Use a good quality, fruity olive oil to finish this soup.

    Though Pappa al Pomodoro is traditionally made with stale bread, I've had good success using fresh bread. Make it with summer's fresh, ripe tomatoes or canned tomatoes any time of year. You have broth options too - chicken, beef, or a blend of the two, or vegetable broth for a vegan version. Choose what suits your mood or what you happen to have on hand. Before serving, finish with a generous drizzle of good olive oil to round everything out.

    Pappa al Pomodoro served in a white bowl on a linen napkin

    Recipe Options:

    • If you prefer a spicy soup, add red pepper flakes to taste along with the garlic and onion in step 1 of the recipe.
    • Though this soup is typically served without cheese, sprinkle with grated parmesan if you like.
    • Breaking from tradition, I've made this soup with fresh rosemary with great results. Just don't let dried basil tempt you (or dried rosemary for that matter), or your soup may be bland.

    Did you know...?

    Pappa al Pomodoro means "Tomato Mush" in Italian - ha!

    Though Pappa al Pomodoro has ancient origins, the 1912 book, Il Giornalino di Gian Burrasca and a 1964 television adaptation of the book popularized it. The Radiotelevisione Italiana TV series starred Italian singer Rita Pavone who sang, "Viva la pappa col pomodoro".

    More Classic Italian Soup Recipes

    • Ribollita
    • Pasta e Fagioli
    • Tuscan White Bean Soup
    • Italian Wedding Soup

    How to Make Pappa al Pomodoro

    Step 1: In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook garlic and onion in olive oil until softened. Add stock and tomatoes; stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

    steps to make the soup base for pappa al pomodoro

    Step 2: Turn heat off and add bread and fresh basil; stir to fully saturate bread. Season with salt and pepper; let stand 20 minutes.

    stirring bread and basil into soup

    Step 3: Vigorously stir the soup to a porridge-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil and more fresh basil, if desired.

    pappa al pomodoro served
    Pappa al Pomodoro served in a white bowl on a linen napkin

    Pappa al Pomodoro

    Marissa Stevens
    This versatile Italian soup is delicious at any temperature: hot, room temperature, or cold.
    5 from 7 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Resting Time 20 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 419 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
    • 2 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 medium yellow onion or 2 medium leeks, finely chopped
    • 2 cups chicken stock beef stock, or vegetable stock
    • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice (recipe note #1)
    • 6 ounces rustic bread day-old or fresh, crust removed and torn into 1-inch pieces
    • large handful fresh basil leaves torn small, plus more for garnish
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Heat olive oil a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and onion; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes (add a pinch of salt if you like to help sweat the onions). Stir in stock and tomatoes; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Turn off heat and stir in torn bread and basil leaves, pressing bread into liquid with a spoon to fully saturate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 20 minutes.
    • Stir or whisk soup vigorously until it has a porridge-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle into 4 soup bowls and drizzle generously with olive oil. Garnish with fresh basil if desired and serve.

    Notes

    1. You can also use whole canned tomatoes that you crush into the soup. Fresh ripe tomatoes are an excellent option too, but you'll want to peel them. Here is a simple way to do so.
    2. Serve this soup hot, at room temperature, or cold, straight from the refrigerator. Just don't forget to drizzle with olive oil before serving!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 419kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 10gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 593mgPotassium: 840mgFiber: 6gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 427IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword comfort food, date night, easy
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lee Uerkwitz says

      December 29, 2021 at 6:23 am

      5 stars
      Really loved this soup with 2 changes I made. I only had 3 oz. of bread cubes, and I doubled the chicken stock. The consistency may not have been as thick as intended but we loved it that way. Ate with grilled cheese sandwiches dunked in the soup. Yum!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 29, 2021 at 9:39 am

        So glad you enjoyed this and made it your own, Lee!

        Reply
    2. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      August 25, 2020 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      Such a comfort food classic! Food like this gets me super excited! I can imagine curling up with a big bowl, glass of wine and watching one of our fave shows. Delish, my friend 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 31, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        Love how you think, Dawn!

        Reply
    3. mimi rippee says

      August 23, 2020 at 1:47 pm

      I have never made this! How did I miss this?! Maybe because I don't tend to order soups at restaurants. It really looks fabulous.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 25, 2020 at 1:47 pm

        Thank you, Mimi! I hope you'll give it a try.

        Reply
    4. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      August 22, 2020 at 1:07 pm

      5 stars
      I love classic tomato soup, but this looks a million times better! I mean, sign me up for tomato mush immediately!! 😉 I'll be adding all the spicy pepper flakes to mine! Gimme gimme!!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:08 pm

        ha! Cheyanne, you crack me up! Hope you love this.

        Reply
    5. Rahul says

      August 21, 2020 at 10:56 pm

      What a timing .. Since we have a bunch of tomatoes coming in right now . Gives me an idea of what I am making with it. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:00 pm

        That's wonderful! I hope you love this, Rahul!

        Reply
    6. Lauren says

      August 21, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      haha! Tomato mush is not what I expected for the translation, but makes sense. This looks amazing no matter what you call it! Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:00 pm

        Thank you, Lauren!

        Reply
    7. David @ Spiced says

      August 21, 2020 at 5:04 am

      5 stars
      Haha - tomato mush doesn't exactly sound appetizing. 🙂 Glad you went with the Italian name for this recipe instead! I've had Pappa al Pomodoro at a restaurant before, but I've never made my own. This sounds delicious for these late summer/early fall days. And it sounds pretty darned easy to make, too!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 21, 2020 at 11:04 am

        So easy, David! I hope you'll give it a try and that you and your family will love it.

        Reply
    8. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      August 20, 2020 at 9:29 pm

      5 stars
      It looks sooo thick and flavorful. It's making me salivate! Now if only our summer tomatoes would ripen 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:03 pm

        Thank you, Katherine. Oh boy...they better get busy ripening or you'll have to get busy making fried green tomatoes, lol!

        Reply
    9. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      August 20, 2020 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      I know I'd really enjoy this Marissa! I can't get enough of summer tomatoes right now. Trying to get them all in before they disappear. This would be perfect with a grilled cheese!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:03 pm

        Yes, that would be a great pairing!

        Reply
    10. angiesrecipes says

      August 20, 2020 at 6:48 am

      So fresh and flavourful and you know what you put in that sauce. Ain't homemade sauce the best!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 22, 2020 at 1:04 pm

        It really is, Angie!

        Reply

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