Tomato Fennel Bread Soup
A cozy, rustic tomato soup with thoroughly softened fennel, garlic, and torn sourdough simmered into the broth. A small drizzle of olive oil finishes each bowl.
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Extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoon
Kroger® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12%
Dried thyme
0.5 Teaspoon
McCormick Whole Thyme Leaves
2%
Slightly stale sourdough bread
6 Ounce
Goldminer Sourdough Boule Bread
25%
Low-sodium vegetable broth
5 Cup
Pacific Foods Low Sodium Organic Vegetable Broth 32 oz Carton
65%
Fennel bulb
12 Ounce
Organic Fennel
100%
Canned crushed tomatoes
28 Ounce
Cento® Crushed Tomatoes
100%
Ground black pepper
0.5 Teaspoon
Kroger® Pure Ground Black Pepper Shaker
2%
Fine salt
0.75 Teaspoon
Morton Plain Table Salt, Non-Iodized Salt, 26 oz
1%
Garlic
4 Count
Garlic
40%
Cost Summary
· only what you use
per serving · 5 servings
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Cook this recipe
- Canned crushed tomatoes-28 ounces
- Garlic-4 cloves
- Low-sodium vegetable broth-5 cups
- Fennel bulb-12 ounces
- Extra-virgin olive oil-4 tablespoons
- Slightly stale sourdough bread-6 ounces
- Fine salt-0.75 teaspoons
- Dried thyme-0.5 teaspoons
- Ground black pepper-0.5 teaspoons
Wash your hands and clean the work surface. Rinse the fennel under running water, remove any damaged areas, and dry it. Trim away the stalks and tough base, halve the bulb, and remove the dense core. Weigh out 12 ounces of trimmed fennel and slice it about 1/8 inch thick. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Tear the bread into irregular pieces about 1 inch across, cutting particularly hard crusts into smaller pieces.
Use a stable cutting board and keep fingers clear of the knife while cutting fennel and hard crusts.
Use only dry, non-moldy bread; discard the entire loaf if any mold is present.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and salt, stir well, and cover. Cook for 15–18 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the fennel is very soft and bends easily under the spoon. Reduce the heat if it begins to brown; soften it thoroughly before adding the tomatoes.
Lift the hot lid away from your face to avoid steam burns.
Stir in the garlic, thyme, and black pepper. Cook uncovered for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and 4 cups of vegetable broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful bits. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes and broth carefully to limit splashing from the hot pot.
Stir in the torn sourdough. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently along the bottom of the pot, until the bread is thoroughly softened and partly broken down. Press a few pieces against the side of the pot with the spoon, but leave plenty of irregular pieces for texture.
Stir carefully; the thick, hot soup can bubble and splatter.
Stir in the remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth and return to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. The finished soup should be thick with softened bread but still flow easily from a ladle. Avoid further reduction, since the bread will continue absorbing liquid.
Ladle into five bowls. Divide the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil among all five portions and serve hot.
Ladle carefully to avoid burns from the hot soup.
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