Pappa al Pomodoro

This pappa al pomodoro blends tomatoes, bread, and cannellini beans into a thick, spoonable Tuscan soup that’s rustic, cozy, and full of flavor.

Pappa al pomodoro is a classic Tuscan dish and one of the most iconic examples of cucina povera. A few simple, inexpensive ingredients and the scrappy use of leftover bread are transformed into something delicious.

And it’s right up there with ribollita as one of those soups that feels like it’s doing more than just feeding you.

I’ve made my own version here, adding creamy cannellini beans for a little more heft and protein. I blend a portion of the beans and broth to thicken the soup, then stir in torn pieces of stale bread and gently mash them against the side of the pot as everything simmers and breaks down.

Blending part of the beans adds creaminess and richness without masking the texture of the bread, which is what gives pappa al pomodoro its character.

Styles of pappa al pomodoro vary widely. Some versions are so thick with bread you could basically stand a spoon straight up in the pot.

While that style is very traditional, I prefer mine a little looser, more on the soup end of the spectrum, with softened chunks of bread and beans suspended in a rich tomato broth. The finished soup should be thick but spoonable, rustic but not heavy.

How to make pappa al pomodoro:

Recipe Tips:

Use excellent canned tomatoes. They are the backbone of this Italian tomato soup. Thin, watery tomatoes will give you thin, watery soup.

Italian beans work best. Cannellini and borlotti are my favorites. If using very large beans like royal corona, stir them in with the bread instead of blending (their charm is their size!). Here's a refresher on how to cook dried beans.

Choose the right bread. Sturdy, country-style bread that’s a day or two old will absorb liquid and break down slowly. Soft sandwich bread dissolves too quickly and muddies the texture. This rustic italian bread is so perfect in it!

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