An Italian starter dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h

Organic sourcing

Spinach or Swiss chard are leafy greens, ideally sourced organic due to potentially high pesticide residue (Dirty Dozen). Onions and celery are less prone; choose based on availability.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 400 g ripe tomatoes
• 1.5 liters vegetable broth
• 200 g stale country bread
• 200 g Swiss chard or spinach
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper

Method

1. Chop the onion, celery, and garlic finely.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until soft and translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down into a sauce.
5. Pour in the vegetable broth. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
6. Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and add to the soup.
7. Chop the Swiss chard and stir into the pot. Cook until greens are tender.
8. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for a few more minutes.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each gets a mix of bread and vegetables.

Notes

• Use day-old bread for best texture.
• Kale can replace Swiss chard or spinach if preferred.
• Pair with a drizzle of olive oil for extra richness.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Italian recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.