Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Silky, deeply-flavoured tomato basil soup from pantry ingredients. The perfect grilled-cheese companion.
The trick with a canned-tomato soup is building proper depth: soften the onion slowly, cook the garlic gently in butter, and let the tomato paste cook until it turns brick red.
Serve it with the crispy quesadillas for grown-up dunking.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (400g each) whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups (480ml) vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- Big handful fresh basil, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Warm the oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 8 minutes until sweet and soft.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until brick-red.
- Pour in the tomatoes (crush with your hands), stock, sugar and a big pinch of salt.
- Simmer 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cream and basil.
- Blend smooth with an immersion blender. Taste, season, serve with extra basil and a swirl of cream.
Cooking tips
- Whole peeled tomatoes give sweeter, richer soup than pre-chopped.
- Cook the tomato paste properly — this is where the depth comes from.
- Freezes for 3 months. Add the cream after reheating so it doesn't split.
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