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Tomato Florentine soup is deliciously hearty, packed with vegetables, herbs, spinach, and pasta simmered in a tomato-based broth.
Tomato Florentine soup – called “Florentine” because it includes spinach, in the style of many dishes that originated in the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany – is a well, souped-up version of tomato soup! I love Italian-inspired soups like my veggie heavy zuppa Toscana or creamy ravioli soup, and this beautiful, earthy soup is full of Italian herbs and tomato goodness. It’s wonderful served with garlic bread bruschetta and a glass of red wine.
Why You’ll Love Tomato Florentine Soup
- Enough for a meal. You can absolutely justify serving this tomato soup as a one-bowl meal. It has everything you need to feel satisfied: Veggies, pasta, and cheese. Of course, you can always add a loaf of no knead cheese bread on the side to up the cozy factor.
- Not your ordinary tomato soup recipe. When I want a little more than my roasted tomato basil soup, I turn to tomato Florentine soup. Its smoky depth of flavor and filling ingredients make it a family favorite.
- So much flavor. I love the sauteed vegetable base, which includes a blend of shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery cooked with tomato paste. This infuses the soup with a rich, savory flavor that carries through in each spoonful.
Recipe Ingredients
Check the ingredients below to see what you’ll need for this soup, then write your shopping list! Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Vegetable Aromatics – Shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery.
- Tomato Paste – The tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor. In a pinch, you can use tomato sauce.
- Broth – You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, or if you’re out of broth, use water.
- Crushed Tomatoes – Any variety of crushed tomatoes works. Choose “fire-roasted” tomatoes for extra depth of flavor.
- Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can do an equal amount of dried basil and oregano for the total amount of seasoning.
- Basil – Fresh basil is a must!
- Salt and Pepper – I use Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Red Pepper Flakes – I like to add a big pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
- Lemon Zest – This adds another slight flavor contrast to the soup.
- Granulated Sugar – When making tomato soup or sauce, a bit of sugar is helpful to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Parmesan cheese – Because the cheese is stirred into the soup until it melts, grated Parmesan is better.
- Macaroni – Your choice of regular or whole-wheat macaroni.
- Spinach – I like baby spinach because it easily wilts into the soup; you could also use chopped regular spinach leaves.
- To Serve – Grated or shaved parmesan cheese, fresh basil, sourdough bread, olive oil.
Tips and Variation Ideas
- For a thinner soup: If you prefer a thinner soup, add extra broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Make it vegetarian. Easily make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth rather than chicken broth. For a vegan soup, leave out the Parmesan, swap olive oil for the butter, and use vegetable broth.
- Add more seasonings. Add a splash of red wine or a pinch of smoked paprika during the simmering stage for extra depth of flavor.
- Leave out the pasta. For a lighter soup that’s still big on flavor, skip the pasta.
- Make it meaty. If you love a meaty soup, add crumbled Italian sausage to the soup base.
Serving Suggestions
My kids ask for a big plate of garlic fries with this soup. But also, a fresh loaf of no knead Dutch oven bread, which is a MUST with a tomato soup. This cheesy garlic pull-apart bread is just as great. For a classic pairing, try my baked grilled cheese sandwiches or a tuna grilled cheese sandwich.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Fridge – Place any cooled leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat – Rewarm the soup in a pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot, or heat it in the microwave in 1-minute increments until heated through. Note that the pasta may absorb some liquid over time; you can add a bit of broth when reheating to adjust the consistency.
More Easy Soup Recipes
Tomato Florentine Soup
Tomato Florentine soup is deliciously hearty, packed with vegetables, herbs, spinach, and pasta simmered in a tomato-based broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, plus more if neede to adjust thickness
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni
- 3 handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves
- For serving: grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, sourdough bred, olive oil
Instructions
- Saute the aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter or heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sauté for approximately 2-3 minutes until it's translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 20 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the vegetables. Add the chopped carrots and celery to the pot. Stir well and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste, ensuring that all the vegetables are well-coated. Cook for 1-2 minutes to enhance the depth of flavor, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Add broth and tomatoes. Pour in the broth, stirring to combine with the vegetable mixture. Add the crushed tomatoes, including their juice, and stir well.
- Season the soup. Add the Italian seasoning, chopped fresh basil, salt (starting with ¾ teaspoon and adjusting to taste), freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and granulated sugar. Stir thoroughly to ensure all seasonings are evenly distributed.
- Cook. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta, cooking it in the simmering soup for the final 15-20 minutes. This timing ensures the pasta cooks through without overcooking.
- Adjust if needed. Pasta absorbs liquid as it cooks, which can thicken the soup. Keep extra broth or water on hand to adjust the soup's consistency as needed.
- Add cheese. After the soup has simmered and the pasta is cooked, gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts completely and is well incorporated into the soup. You can remove the soup from the heat before adding the cheese to prevent curdling and ensure a smooth texture.
- Finish. Add the fresh baby spinach leaves to the pot. Stir gently until the spinach wilts, which should take about 1-2 minutes. Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls.
- Serve. Garnish each bowl with additional grated or shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, as desired. For a complete meal, you can serve the tomato soup with slices of sourdough bread drizzled with olive oil.
Equipment
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 1320mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5492IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Make Tomato Florentine Soup
- Cook the shallots. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and cook the chopped shallots until translucent.
- Add garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Cook celery and carrots. Stir in the chopped carrots and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth.
- Finish with tomatoes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes.
- Add seasonings. Now add the Italian seasoning, fresh basil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and sugar.
- Boil. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, add the pasta, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in cheese. Remove the soup from the heat and gradually stir in the grated Parmesan until it melts completely.
- Add spinach. Gently stir in the fresh baby spinach leaves to the pot until they wilt.
- Serve! Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and garnish them with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves as desired.
