If you've ever dipped crusty bread into a bowl of tomato soup and wished the whole thing tasted like that perfect bite, this pappa al pomodoro recipe is for you. Hailing from Tuscany, this tomato and bread soup was born from a spirit of not wasting food, but it's become a comfort food staple. The texture is part porridge, part pudding, with a texture that keeps each spoonful interesting with a taste that's a soul-satisfyingly delicious. Let me show you why this humble dish is worth making from scratch.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Toasting the bread unlocks umami — Toasting the bread in olive oil jumpstarts the Maillard reaction, giving it deeper flavor and helping it hold its shape as it simmers with the tomatoes.
- Tomato duo adds balance — A good tomato puree contributes reliable depth and richness regardless of the season. Fresh tomatoes add brightness and aroma.
- Rich body without cream — As the bread breaks down, it emulsifies with the oil and tomatoes to create a luscious, comforting texture without making it cloying or heavy.
Ingredients
- Crusty bread — Traditionally, this dish is made with Pane Toscano Raffermo, but any crusty bread will work. Honestly, this is a dish that I make when I have stale bread on hand, so I'm not too picky about the bread as long as it has a good crust. Softer bread, such as sandwich bread or brioche, tends to become a bit too mushy for my taste.
- Tomato puree — Good tomato puree or passata is made from tomatoes picked at peak ripeness and stewed to concentrate their flavors before being canned. This provides a reliable baseline of flavor for our pappa al pomodoro recipe.
- Fresh tomato — Ideally, you want to use sweet sun-ripened tomatoes for this, but because we're adding tomato puree as well, it will still be delicious with what you can find. If tomatoes aren't in season, consider using cherry tomatoes, which tend to be sweeter and more fragrant.
- Olive oil — Adds richness and carries the flavors of the aromatics; use a fruity extra virgin oil if possible.
- Aromatics — I like using a combination of red onions, garlic, and basil to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes, boost their umami, and contribute a fresh aroma to the soup.
How to Make Pappa al Pomodoro
Start by heating a pan over medium heat and adding the olive oil, garlic, and sliced red onions. Cook just until the onions turn translucent and tender.
Next, toss in your cubed bread. Let it soak up that fragrant oil and toast just a bit around the edges. This enhances its flavor through Maillard browning and helps the bread retain its structure when liquid is added.
Now add your diced fresh tomato and tomato puree. I always splash a bit of water into the empty can or bottle to rinse out the last bits and prevent any waste. Stir everything together and bring it to a simmer. The moisture from the tomatoes will start breaking down the bread.
Tear in fresh basil, cover the pot and reduce the heat. Let it gently simmer for about 10 minutes. If you hear it start to sizzle, add a bit more water and turn the heat down to prevent scorching.
Stir well to help the bread break down and emulsify with the tomatoes into a thick, porridge-like soup. Taste and adjust the salt at the end—it can vary a lot depending on your tomatoes and bread. Serve hot with a swirl of good olive oil and more torn basil.
Serve This With
Pappa al Pomodoro is filling enough to make a meal of it, but I usually like to pair it with some protein for a more balanced meal. Serving it with a poached egg on top is a simple solution, but if you want to get more elaborate, pair it with my roast chicken with crispy skin for the ultimate comforting Sunday supper. Panko-crusted chicken tenders or crispy fried oysters add richness and texture. If you want something lighter, my grilled endive salad is a great way to turn this into a satisfying brunch.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 10 grams garlic (crushed and chopped)
- 70 grams red onion (sliced)
- 125 grams crusty bread (cubed)
- 180 grams fresh tomato (1 medium tomato, diced)
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 10 grams basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat until hot and add ¼ cup olive oil, 10 grams garlic, and 70 grams red onion. Saute until they're translucent and tender, but not so long that they brown.
- Add 125 grams crusty bread and continue to saute until the bread has soaked up all of the oil, and it's gotten nice and crusty around the edges.
- Add 180 grams fresh tomato and 180 grams fresh tomato2 cups tomato puree. Add about ⅓ cup of water to the bottle or can the puree came in and pour this in as well.
- Tear in 10 grams basil leaves and mix everything together once before covering the pot with a lid and turning down the heat to low. Allow this to gently simmer for about 10 minutes. If you start heating the porridge sizzle, you may need to add a bit more water to keep it from burning.
- Stir the Pappa al Pomodoro until the bread starts to dissolve and makes the porridge creamy.
- Both bread and tomato puree can contain varying amounts of salt, so taste the porridge and season the porridge to taste. I usually add about ½ teaspoon salt.
- Serve the Pappa al Pomodoro drizzled with some extra olive oil and some more fresh basil leaves torn on top.
Nutrition Facts
FAQs
Pappa al Pomodoro is Tuscan tomato soup with bread cooked into it, which turns it into a thick porridge. If you like dipping bread into tomato soup, then you'll love this warm, comforting dish.
Although most people translate Pappa al Pomodoro as Bread and Tomato Soup, pappa means "mush" (as in baby food), and al Pomodoro means "with tomatoes" (like Pasta al Pomodoro). So a more accurate translation might be Tomato Porridge, or Bread and Tomato Porridge if you want to be more descriptive.
As long as the bread you use doesn't contain milk or eggs, this soup is plant-based. For more delicious vegan Italian recipes, check out this article, Vegan Italian Recipes: Big Flavors, no Meat.
Kathy Stroup says
This is simply one of my favorite recipes, Marc! So easy, so flavorful, and so satisfying. It's at the same time light and hearty, with the rich tomato, basil, and olive oil sauce, and the soft, sumptuous bread, soaked and silken. It soothes and awakens my palate! I always use sourdough bread, which gives it an extra depth and piquancy. I'm thinking I might try topping it with sautéed mushrooms, but that really isn't necessary. Thank you for this!
Marc Matsumoto says
Good call on the sourdough! It's hard to find here, but I used to use it when I lived in the US. The fermentation of the dough creates glutamate so +++umami. I'm glad you're enjoying this😊
The Book of Food says
It's been a while since I haven't had that ! Thank you very much.
Fabio says
Marc, I've been reading you for nearly a decade now, and I am most interested in your Japanese recipes. But being half-Italian, I additionally have to emphasize that I am very impressed with your take on Italien recipes. You always get them right!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Fabio, I can't think of a better compliment. Also, thanks for sticking around for so long! Let me know if there are any dishes you want to see my take on.
Fabio says
It took me quite some time to think about this.... So one thing I wanted to ask you about were more fermentation/pickling recipes (since I am generally very interested in fermentation). And you have recently presented three ideas on that! Thank you.
So concerning dishes I would be interested in seeing your take on: all kinds of risotti! Maybe some classical ones, maybe some of your own creations! 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
👍🏽 will do. As for Risotti, here are a few I've posted before https://norecipes.com/matsutake-mushroom-risotto-recipe/ https://norecipes.com/kimchi-risotto/ https://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/risotto-milanese/
Stefan says
Super easy and delicious, thanks a lot for the great recipe, Marc! I now finally have some more recipes available for oldish bread which needs to be used up 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Stefan! Thanks for dropping by to let me know you enjoyed it. There are so many ways to use up old bread. I usually freeze any that's getting past it's prime so I can use it for things like this.