- Soup
- Main
- Italian
- One pot
- Make-ahead
- Stovetop
- Budget-friendly
- Beginner-friendly
Good for, as AI judged the whole recipe.
Ingredients
- 10 oz
stale country bread, crusts removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 cup in step 2, the rest in step 7
- 6 cloves
garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 pinch
red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bunch
fresh basil, leaves picked, stems reserved
- 2 cans
whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz each), crushed by hand, juices reserved
- 4 cups
chicken or vegetable broth, warm
3 cups in step 4, 1 cup in step 5
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, for serving (optional)
Contains milk (Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated).
Whether it’s vegetarian depends on the Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated: check the label.
Not checked: stale country bread, crusts removed, chicken or vegetable broth, warm.
AI didn’t find a diet this fits, going by the ingredients (not checked).
Steps
- Step 1
If your bread is fresh rather than stale, spread the torn pieces on a baking sheet and leave them out for an hour, or dry them in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes until firm and dry but not browned.
10 min, hands-off · 300°F
- 10 oz stale country bread, crusts removed
- Step 2
Warm the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic, the red pepper flakes, and the reserved basil stems. Cook gently, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold at the edges. Don't let it brown or it will turn bitter.
4 min
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- Step 3
Add the crushed tomatoes with all their juices and a generous pinch of salt. Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring now and then, for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes darken slightly and taste sweet rather than sharp. Fish out and discard the basil stems.
15 min
- 2 cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz each)
- salt
- Step 4
Add the bread and 3 cups of the warm broth. Stir well so every piece of bread is soaked, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.
2 min
- 10 oz stale country bread, crusts removed
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, warm
- Step 5
Cook at a bare simmer for 25 minutes, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon every 5 minutes, until the bread breaks down completely and the soup is thick, creamy, and smooth with no distinct pieces left. Add the remaining broth a splash at a time if it gets thicker than soft porridge.
25 min
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, warm
- Step 6
Turn off the heat. Tear in most of the basil leaves, season generously with salt and black pepper, and let the soup rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the flavors settle. Stir in a few tablespoons more olive oil until it looks glossy.
10 min, hands-off
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- salt
- black pepper
- Step 7
Serve warm or at room temperature, in shallow bowls, each portion finished with a heavy drizzle of olive oil, the remaining basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano if you like.
- the rest of the extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026