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What to eat in Tuscany? Top 14 Tuscan Soups

Last update: Thu Mar 20 2025
Top 14 Tuscan Soups
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01

Vegetable Soup

TUSCANY, Italy
4.0
Ribollita
Ribollita infographic
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Every Tuscan family has a recipe for this soup that has been refined and passed down through generations. The name means reboiled, referring to the fact that it is commonly consumed on the day after its preparation, when it is reheated with a dash of olive oil.


The key ingredients in ribollita are leftover bread, cannellini beans, and seasonal vegetables such as kale, onions, carrots, and cabbage. It is a typical winter dish, and one of its main ingredients, Tuscan kale, is available exclusively in winter. 

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02
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Pappa al pomodoro is a thick Tuscan soup consisting of fresh tomatoes, bread, olive oil, basil, and garlic. The soup can be served warm or chilled. For the authentic version, only costoluto fiorentino tomatoes and pane toscano bread should be used in the dish.


Although it has ancient origins, pappa al pomodoro was first popularized in 1911 by the publication of Il Giornalino di Gian Burrasca.

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03
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Minestra di pane, translated as bread soup, is a traditional Tuscan dish made with day-old stale bread and a mixture of fresh garden vegetables. The recipe has peasant origins (hence the use of varied offerings from the Tuscan soil) and must always incorporate two key ingredients: beans and black cabbage.


The original version of minestra di pane uses unsalted pratese bread with an assortment of vegetables such as celery, potatoes, onions, carrots, courgettes, tomato paste, and olive oil. It is served as the first dish and can also be used the next day as a base for a traditional ribollita.

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04

Soup

TUSCANY, Italy
3.6
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Zuppa Toscana is a traditional soup made with Italian sausage, chicken broth, bacon, cream, and vegetables such as onions, kale, and potatoes. Due to its bold flavors and nutritive value, the soup is especially popular during the cold winter months.


It is served warm, but many believe that it tastes even better the next day when all of the flavors get thouroughly combined.

05
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Frantoiana is a traditional Tuscan soup. It's usually made with borlotti beans, lard, mountain herbs, parsley, leeks, pumpkin, potatoes, white cabbage, black cabbage (cavolo nero), zucchini, basil, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, hot peppers, fennel seeds, stale bread, and extra-virgin olive oil.


However, the ingredients are not fixed and they should be seasonal, depending on what's fresh in the market or depending on the cook's personal preferences. The olive oil used in the soup is traditionally the one produced in the hills near Lucca, and it should be extra virgin from the first pressing. 

MOST ICONIC Frantoiana

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06

Vegetable Soup

TUSCANY, Italy
n/a
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Bordatino is a traditional Tuscan soup made with vegetables, beans, and cornmeal as the main ingredients. In the past, the soup used to be prepared on the ships, hence the name bordatino or zuppa di bordo, meaning boat soup. On the ships, it was typically accompanied by the catch of the day, but the soup soon spread to the countryside, where it was usually prepared only with vegetables.


Nowadays, there are many versions of the soup – in Livorno, they sometimes add bacon, while in Pisa, there's nothing in the soup but vegetables. The usual ingredients include onions, celery, carrots, garlic, cabbage, cannellini beans, tomato paste, kale, and cornmeal.

07
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Carabaccia is the original onion soup originating from Tuscany. It dates back to the Renaissance, was Leonardo DaVinci's favorite, and consists of thinly sliced red onions, ground almonds for thickening, cinnamon, salt, pepper, olive oil, toasted bread, vegetable stock, grated cheese such as Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano, wine vinegar, and either honey or sugar to bring out its sweet and sour flavors.


This ancient soup is a classic cucina povera dish that was made out of necessity. When served, a slice of toasted bread is placed in the bottom of each bowl, followed by the carabaccia soup, grated cheese, a pinch of cinnamon and sugar, and a drizzle of olive oil. 
08

Soup

TUSCANY, Italy
n/a
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Ginestrata is a traditional Tuscan soup that is usually served at formal events and weddings. It is made with egg yolks, Marsala wine, chicken broth, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. This thin soup is sometimes cooked in an earthenware pot, and it is typically garnished with a combination of sugar and cinnamon that are sprinkled on top.


In the past, ginestrata was served after the wedding day in order to revigorate the bride and groom.

09

Bread Soup

TUSCANY, Italy
n/a
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Originally a peasant food, acquacotta (lit. cooked water) is a traditional Tuscan soup whose origins date back to the Middle Ages when it was prepared in the coastal region of Maremma. Back then, acquacotta was the typical lunch of butteri Maremmani, the cattle breeders who populated the area, but it was also popular among charcoal burners who were living in Tuscan forests.


Acquacotta was once made with water, stale bread, onions, tomatoes, and olive oil, along with various vegetables and leftover ingredients that may have been available. Today’s modern cuisine often uses fresh or toasted bread, while the other ingredients may vary since there are multiple variations of this dish in existence. 
10

Fish Soup

MONTE ARGENTARIO, Italy
n/a
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Caldaro is a traditional Tuscan fish soup originating from Monte Argentario. Although there are many versions of this fish soup, the base is always fish and seafood such as squid, prawns, and monkfish, along with ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, onions, parsley, hot peppers, white wine, fish stock, and tomatoes.


The onions, garlic, parsley, and hot peppers are sautéed in olive oil. White wine is added to the pot along with the fish and seafood, and the mixture is lightly cooked. Fish stock and tomato sauce are then added to the pot and the fish soup is simmered for a few more minutes before serving. 
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Offal Soup
PROVINCE OF PISTOIA, Italy
n/a
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Tuscan Soups