The first time I tried Marcella Hazan’s famous tomato sauce (with vegan butter), my reaction was the same as many people’s: utter disbelief that something so simple could taste so good.
For those who haven’t tried “Marcella sauce,” as it’s sometimes affectionately called, it’s made from just four ingredients: tomatoes, butter, Onions, and salt.
You can use canned tomatoes in the winter, but what makes them so delicious is that slow-cooked, in-season tomatoes don’t need much to make them delicious.
That’s what I was thinking when I made this soup. Of course, they’re different recipes. But the idea of making summer tomatoes glow without too much fuss or seasoning is the same.
Aside from the magical tomato season and the fact that the soup has only six ingredients (olive oil, Onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt, and bread—I didn’t count water!), what makes this dish special is the yeast cubes that have been sitting for a day or two.
When added to the soup, they are a little dry, but they will absorb and soften as the soup goes in, turning the dish into a puree.
I like to do this: I let the bread absorb most of the liquid in the pan, leaving something hearty. But you’ll get a thicker liquid soup and bread if you want to put in less sourdough or more tomatoes.
What consistency you choose is up to you. Either way, the soup’s comforting, umami-tasting taste is the same. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil (more for sprinkling)
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large ripe steak tomatoes, roughly chopped (replace with one 28oz / 800g diced SAN Marzano tomato and tomato juice)
2 cups vegetable soup or water
1/2 TSP salt (increase to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-5 cups day-old country or sourdough bread, cut into cubes (this is about half a round ball or about 8oz / 225g)
Cashew Parmesan cheese (topping)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a spacious pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until it is soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute.
- Add tomatoes, broth, or water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- If you prefer, blend the soup parts with an immersion blender. I like that it’s generally smooth and has some juicy tomatoes. If you choose a heartier, chunkier soup, skip this step.
- Add the bread to the soup. Bring the soup back to a simmer, uncovered, for another 5-10 minutes or until the soup thickens. If the bread absorbs more liquid than you want, add a little water and stir. The bread continues to absorb all the deliciousness and thicken as it is stored.
- Spoon the soup into bowls. Serve each serving generously with cashew Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy.
- The remaining soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 8 weeks.
It’s been a busy week so far, and it’s a perfect time to make a recipe that’s all the better for being straightforward. I rarely make soup without bread; I could call it multitasking.
Hopefully, some of you enjoyed this while the tomatoes were still around. I hope you guys have a great week.
