Tomato Basil Soup

This tomato basil soup is made from canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and fresh basil, simmered for 20 minutes and blended until smooth, with an optional swirl of cream. It takes about 35 minutes, serves 4 and costs very little. Canned tomatoes give a reliable, full flavor all year round.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (about 150 g), chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cans (400 g / 14 oz each) chopped or whole tomatoes
• 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth (stock)
• A large handful of fresh basil (about 15 g), plus extra leaves to serve
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste
• Optional: 4 tablespoons heavy cream, or a swirl of plain yogurt
• Optional: a pinch of sugar or ½ teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, if your tomatoes taste sharp

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent but not browned.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil and let it cool for 5 minutes.
5. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, or carefully in batches in a jug blender. Don’t fill a jug blender more than half full with hot soup, and hold the lid on with a folded towel, because hot liquid expands as it blends.
6. Return the soup to the pan, taste and season. Add a pinch of sugar or a few drops of balsamic vinegar if the tomatoes taste too sharp.
7. Stir in the cream, if using, and reheat gently without boiling. Serve with extra basil and black pepper.

Tips for the best result

• Cook the onion slowly. Soft, sweet onion gives the soup its depth.
• Add the basil at the end. Long cooking dulls its flavor.
• Taste before adding salt. Broth and canned tomatoes are often salted already.
• For a silkier soup, pass it through a sieve after blending.
• For a chunkier soup, blend only half and stir it back in.

Swaps and variations

• Roasted tomato soup: in summer, roast 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) of ripe fresh tomatoes, halved, with the onion and garlic at 200°C (400°F) for 35 to 40 minutes, then blend with the broth.
• Dairy-free and vegan: leave out the cream, or use a spoonful of coconut milk or unsweetened plant cream.
• More filling: stir in a can of drained white beans or cooked lentils before blending, which also adds protein and fiber.
• Spiced: add a pinch of chili flakes or smoked paprika with the garlic.
• With red pepper: add a roasted red pepper from a jar with the tomatoes.

Storage and reheating

Cool the soup and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, then eat it within 3 to 4 days, as the USDA’s leftovers guidance recommends. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through. The soup freezes well without the cream: freeze it in portions, thaw overnight in the fridge, and stir in the cream after reheating.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a quarter of the soup, with the optional cream. These figures are estimates calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the ingredients above, using ready-made vegetable broth.

Without the cream, each serving has about 50 fewer calories and much less saturated fat. Most of the sodium comes from the broth and canned tomatoes. The World Health Organization recommends adults keep sodium under 2 g a day, so if you’re watching your salt, choose a low-sodium broth and no-salt-added tomatoes, which brings the figure down sharply.

Each serving contains over 200 g of tomatoes and onion, which counts toward the WHO’s recommended 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day.

Contains: milk if you add cream or yogurt. Check the label on your broth if you’re cooking for someone with an allergy, because some contain celery, which is a recognized allergen in the EU and UK.

What to serve with it

• A grilled cheese sandwich or crusty whole grain bread.
• A green salad. Our strawberry arugula salad makes it a light lunch.
• Toasted chickpeas or a spoonful of pesto on top.

If you enjoy tomato dishes, our stuffed tomatoes and peppers are a good next recipe.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.