Tuscan Tomato Basil and Bread Soup

Ripe tomatoes cooked with basil and day old bread in a deliciously rustic late summer soup. This Tuscan Tomato Basil and Bread Soup is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Happy Tuesday!

I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend and that you were able to enjoy an extra day off.

I was actually so busy this past weekend. My friend Marina got married on Saturday and I was one of her bridesmaid so there were a lot of things that needed to be done. Her wedding was done at Kohl Mansion in Burlingame on the lawn with the reception indoors. Unfortunately, it was soo hot and we only had fans to keep us cool. But the entire wedding was so pretty, and the reception was so much fun. I have never been to a Russian-Jewish wedding before, and I’m starting to wish all weddings were like that. Especially since there’s a second day wedding, where close family and friends are invited to lunch the next day for more food and more dancing.

With all the festivities over the weekend, I am not looking forward to going back to work.

The weather has been so odd lately too. It was over 100 degrees in San Francisco, which is very unusual for us. That means these last couple days have been difficult and uncomfortable for all of us. Most of us don’t have air conditioning since we don’t really need it. But when it gets that hot, we’re all suffering.

And then just as we’re getting used to the hot weather, the temperature drops by 20 degrees and it’s cold and overcast again. So now is the perfect time to share with you this Tuscan Tomato Basil and Bread Soup.

At the end of the summer is when some of the best tomatoes are in season. They’re so sweet and perfect for eating by themselves. My favorite for eating alone are the dry farmed early girl tomatoes. If you haven’t tried them yet, search for them at your local farmer’s market. The tomatoes are small, but the flavors are so concentrated.

September is the perfect to use tomatoes, whether raw in salads or cooked in dishes. But every once in awhile, there are tomatoes that are soo ripe and need to be used right away. This Tuscan tomato basil and bread soup is perfect for using all those super ripe tomatoes.

It’s sweet and savory with just a hint of tartness. It’s warm and comforting for when the chilly fall weather arrives. Plus, it’s a little more filling with bread soaked into the soup too.

Pluck the not so pretty basil leaves and place them into a medium sized pot with 3-4 large cloves of garlic. Fill the pot with 3 cups of water, and add the rind of the parmesan cheese. Let the ingredients simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes before removing from heat. Allow the basil garlic stock to steep while preparing the res tof the soup. Set aside the rest of the basil leaves and the parmesan cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spread one cup of roughly chopped bread onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt over the bread and toss gently to coat. Toast the bread until the edges are browned, about 10 minutes, before removing from the oven and set aside for now.

In a medium sized pot, add olive oil and cook the rest of the garlic until golden brown and aromatic. Season with salt and pepper.

Now, add tomatoes to the pot, and stir well, breaking the tomatoes as they soften, about 10 minutes. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper and a little bit of sugar. Add the rest of the bread, and stir to incorporate the bread in the soup.

Strain the basil garlic stock and add to the tomato soup. Cook the Tuscan tomato basil and bread soup and stir with a whisk until the bread disintegrates. The soup will be thick and velvety, about 10 minutes. If you want the soup to smooth and creamy, use an immersion blender for about a minute.

Grate half of the Parmesan cheese into the soup. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve the Tuscan tomato basil and bread soup with fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and croutons.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Tomato Basil and Bread Soup

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Ripe tomatoes cooked with basil and day old bread in a deliciously rustic late summer soup. This Tuscan Tomato Basil and Bread Soup is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Author: Andrea Giang

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• Handful of fresh basil
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese with rind
• 4 cups day old bread, cubed
• 6 medium tomatoes, about 3 pounds, cored and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Croutons

• 1 cup cubed bread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Pluck the not so pretty basil leaves and place them into a medium sized pot with 4-5 large cloves of garlic. Fill the pot with 3 cups of water, and add the rind of the parmesan cheese. Let the ingredients simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes before removing from heat. Allow the basil garlic stock to steep while preparing the rest of the soup. Set aside the rest of the basil leaves and the parmesan cheese.
2. Preheat the oven to 375F. Spread one cup of roughly chopped bread onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt over the bread and toss gently to coat. Toast the bread until the edges are browned, about 10 minutes, before removing from the oven and set aside for now.
3. In a medium sized pot, add olive oil and cook the rest of the garlic until golden brown and aromatic. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Now, add tomatoes to the pot, and stir well, breaking the tomatoes as they soften, about 10 minutes. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the bread, and stir to incorporate the bread in the soup. Strain the basil garlic stock and add to the tomato soup. Cook the Tuscan tomato basil and bread soup and stir with a whisk until the bread disintegrates. The soup will be thick and velvety, about 10 minutes. If you want the soup to smooth and creamy, use an immersion blender for about a minute.
5. Grate half of the Parmesan cheese into the soup. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Serve the Tuscan tomato basil and bread soup with fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and croutons.

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