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one ordinary bowl of thick rustic red tomato bread soup with small softened pale bread fragments broken throughout and finely chopped basil mixed into the surface, with no large croutons, cheese, cream swirl, meat or garnish
Andre Lewis

Tomato Basil Bread Soup

Stale bread belongs inside this tomato basil soup, where it breaks down and thickens the broth into soft spoonfuls. Tear it small and give it time to soak through before deciding the pot needs more liquid. Canned whole tomatoes provide enough body for the bread without a separate cream or flour thickener. Chop the basil and stir it through the soup after the bread has softened. The finished texture should be rustic and uneven, with tiny softened bread pieces throughout rather than a smooth puree or large dry croutons floating on top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 2 cans 28 oz each whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz day-old country bread tough bottom crust removed and crumb torn into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Cook onion for 8 minutes until soft without browning, then stir in sliced garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Add hand-crushed tomatoes with their juices, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in torn bread and simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring and pressing with a wooden spoon until the bread is fully softened and mostly broken into the broth.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in chopped basil and vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes, stir again to distribute the softened bread and divide among 6 bowls.