Tomato soup is like a hug in a bowl, which, when the weather is as wet and miserable as it has been here lately, is exactly what you need.
While you can buy many different variations of tomato soup in the supermarkets, it always tastes better when you cook it from scratch at home.
Cooking lover and nutritionist Marzia has shared her tomato soup recipe which she claims is “next level” because of one “secret ingredient”.
Describing the dish, she said: “There is no cream, sugar, or any unnecessary additives in my tomato soup. Plus, the secret ingredient makes this soup creamier, tastier and next level.”
The “secret to making delicious tomato basil soup” is basil pesto. Marzia claimed: “That super concentrated flavour of basil pesto makes this tomato basil soup.
“The pine nuts and parmesan cheese from the pesto add such nice depth and creaminess that you’ll forget about adding that heavy cream.
“The parmesan in the pesto also adds just the right amount of cheesiness to the soup without overpowering it.”
Ingredients (serves four)
680g Tomatoes
One medium onion, cut into chunks
Three to five garlic cloves
Two large carrots, peeled and cut in half
A third cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Two cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
A quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes
One to two tablespoons of basil pesto
Method
You want to start by roasting your vegetables. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 5 and place the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and carrots on a large baking tray.
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper and give it a good mix so it’s all evenly seasoned. Place the baking tray in the oven and allow the ingredients to bake for one hour. Check on the ingredients after 30 minutes and give it a toss as needed.
Next, transfer the ingredients along with any juices from the baking tray to a blender and blend the veggies until they are completely smooth.
Transfer the puree to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the stock and allow the soup to heat all the way through, about five to seven minutes.
Add the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes. Add two tablespoons of the pesto and give the soup a taste. If desired, add more. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired and serve with a cheese toastie.
Taking to the comments section of her blog, many people who have tried out this recipe have shared their thoughts on it.
Laquan said: “I have made the tomato soup with cream and it turned out disgusting. Now I’m so glad that I found this recipe because I just tried it and it came out tasting amazing!”
Sherry commented: “Wow! This soup is amazing! It is so creamy and delicious. I put the recipe in the nutrition calculator and was delighted to see that it is 122 cal per serving for eight. Thanks so much for sharing!”
Vicky wrote: “I made this last night. I was trying to use up all the veggies in the fridge so I added some bits of green and yellow pepper. I’ll definitely be repeating this. Thank you!”
Laura added: “I just wanted to thank you for this delicious recipe. I made it last night for my family, and it was a huge success. Everyone wants me to make it again. I love how creamy it is without any actual cream in it. Plus, it’s so full of healthy ingredients. It really is a wonderful recipe. Thank you!”
