Often considered a poor dish, soups have been part of the Italian tradition since ancient times. The word Zuppa – Italian for Soup – appears already around the sixteenth century when the most impoverished families used to eat dry old bread dipped in a broth of legumes and vegetables, coming from their garden. The name comes from the Gothic suppa, which means “soaked slice”.
Natural, terroir and nutrient dish, Italian soups are mainly prepared with Vegetables and Legumes – often combined with Cereals or Bread – but sometimes also meat or fish. Still today, each region counts endless typical recipes part of the local gastronomy such as Ribollita from Tuscany, Brodetto from Marche and Abruzzo or Zuppa Imperiale from Emilia-Romagna.