Tomato Florentine Soup

Nothing beats a cozy bowl of tomato soup that’s packed with fresh spinach and hearty pasta! This comforting soup is perfect for busy families who want something healthy and delicious on the table fast. You’ll love how the rich tomato flavor combines with tender vegetables and a bright lemony cheese topping.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Soy-Free, Egg-Free

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 322 Calories, 10g Fat, 45g Carbs, 12g Protein

Ingredients You’ll Need

Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons to get those vegetables nice and tender. This adds such a lovely flavor base to the whole soup!

Yellow onion: One medium onion chopped up gives you that sweet, savory foundation. Don’t worry if you only have white onion – it works great too!

Celery: Two medium stalks chopped will add that perfect crunch and fresh flavor. I love how celery makes everything taste more vibrant.

Carrots: Two medium carrots chopped up bring natural sweetness and beautiful color. Plus, they make the soup extra hearty!

Garlic: Six cloves might sound like a lot, but trust me – it makes the soup absolutely delicious. Chop them up nice and small.

Salt and pepper: You’ll need ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper to make all those flavors pop.

Dried oregano: 1½ teaspoons total, but you’ll divide this up. It adds that perfect Italian herb flavor we all love.

Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons of this concentrated goodness will give you the most amazing deep tomato flavor when you caramelize it.

Crushed tomatoes: One 28-ounce can of no-salt-added crushed tomatoes is the heart of this soup. Look for good quality ones if you can!

Vegetable broth: 4 cups of lower-sodium broth keeps things healthy while adding tons of flavor. You can use chicken broth if that’s what you have.

Whole-wheat elbow macaroni: 1 cup of pasta makes this soup filling and satisfying. Regular elbow macaroni works perfectly too!

Baby spinach: One 5-ounce package wilts down beautifully and adds so much nutrition. This is what makes it “Florentine” style!

Pecorino Romano cheese: ¼ cup grated brings that sharp, salty flavor that’s absolutely perfect with tomatoes.

Lemon zest and juice: 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon juice brighten up the whole soup. Fresh lemon makes such a difference!

How to Make Tomato Florentine Soup

Step 1: Heat your olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Cook them, stirring often, until they’re nice and tender – about 10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they start to smell amazing!

Step 2: Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of oregano to your tender vegetables. Cook everything together, stirring often, until it smells absolutely incredible – about 1 minute. Then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it gets dark and caramelized. This takes about 2 minutes and is so worth it!

Step 3: Stir in your crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and elbow macaroni. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover your pot, and cook until the pasta is perfectly tender – about 15 minutes.

Step 4: While the soup is cooking, make your amazing cheese topping! In a small bowl, combine the Pecorino Romano cheese, lemon zest, and the remaining ½ teaspoon oregano. Use your fingers to gently rub everything together until it’s fragrant and well mixed – about 1 minute.

Step 5: Stir the baby spinach into your soup and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it’s wilted – about 2 minutes. Remove the soup from heat and stir in that bright lemon juice.

Step 6: Divide your beautiful soup among 4 bowls and top each one evenly with your lemony cheese mixture. Get ready for some serious comfort food!

Easy and Quick Tomato Florentine Soup Version

Want to make this even faster? You can use pre-chopped vegetables from the store – no shame in that game! Also, try using frozen spinach instead of fresh. Just use about ½ cup of frozen spinach and add it right with the tomatoes. Skip the fancy cheese topping and just sprinkle some regular parmesan on top. It’ll still taste absolutely delicious!

Serving Ideas

This hearty soup is practically a complete meal all by itself! Serve it with some crusty bread for dipping, or make it extra special with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. A simple green salad with vinaigrette makes it feel like a restaurant meal at home.

Storage

Store your leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it gently in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals until it’s heated through.

Substitutions

No Pecorino Romano? Parmesan cheese works beautifully! Don’t have whole-wheat pasta? Regular elbow macaroni is perfect. Out of baby spinach? Chopped regular spinach or even kale works great. You can swap the vegetable broth for chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand.

Pro Tips

• Caramelize that tomato paste: Don’t skip this step! It adds incredible depth of flavor.
• Fresh lemon matters: Use fresh lemon juice and zest – bottled just isn’t the same.
• Don’t overcook the spinach: It wilts super fast, so watch it carefully.
• Make the cheese mixture ahead: You can prep this earlier in the day.
• Taste and adjust: Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to make it perfect for your family.

FAQs

What does Florentine mean?

Great question! In cooking terms, “Florentine” means the dish includes spinach as a main ingredient. So our Tomato Florentine Soup gets its name from all that lovely spinach we add at the end!

Can I freeze this soup?

You bet! This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Just let it cool completely before freezing. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Sure! You can make this soup up to 3 days ahead and store it in the fridge. The flavors actually get even better after sitting for a day. Just make the cheese topping fresh when you’re ready to serve.

What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?

No worries! Any large, heavy-bottomed pot will work perfectly. You just want something big enough to hold all the ingredients and distribute heat evenly.

I hope your family loves this cozy soup as much as mine does! Let me know how it turns out for you – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures. Happy soup making!