Tomato soup is the perfect cold-weather meal, especially when it’s homemade and served alongside a piece of cheesy toast. And this warming, nutritious and flavourful recipe, shared by cooking legend Gordon Ramsay, is also easy to make.
Gordon explained how to make it even better by using a baking tray to roast the vegetables instead of making the soup in a pot. In a video online, the restaurateur explained: “Traditionally, you make it in a pot, but it’s so much better to start it on top of the stove, searing the tomatoes and the garlic. When it goes in the oven, you actually roast the tomatoes, not stew them, and there’s actually a big difference in flavour.“
Tomato soup recipe
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1.5 kg of sliced tomatoes
- Two sliced red onions
- One peeled garlic
- One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- One tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- Tablespoon of sugar
- 100ml of double dream
- One litre of chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for cooking
For the pesto:
- Pine nuts
- 75g sundried tomatoes
- 50g grated parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Saved sundried tomato oil
Method
How to make tomato soup
Start by getting your vegetables ready. Remove the skins from the red onion and garlic, then slice both finely. Rinse your tomatoes under cold water and cut them in half.
Switch on your oven and set it to 180C. Place a heatproof roasting tray over medium to high heat on the hob. Into this tray, add the sliced onion, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Pour in a generous amount of olive oil so that the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Gordon emphasised: “Be quite generous with the olive oil. It makes the soup nice and glossy.” Allow everything to cook for roughly three to four minutes.
Add the halved tomatoes to the tray along with some salt and pepper to enhance the flavour. Sprinkle in some sugar and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Gordon noted that the sugar works to heighten the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. Keep the tray on high heat for a further three to four minutes, giving time for the tomatoes to begin caramelising.
Give the ingredients a good mix, then transfer the tray to the oven and roast the contents for about 20 to 25 minutes. Gordon advised that this method of searing on the hob followed by roasting in the oven deepens the flavour, creating a more indulgent soup.
Once roasted, return the tray to the stove over medium heat. Pour in vegetable or chicken stock until it reaches halfway up the tomatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer for three to four minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to gently crush the tomatoes and stir the mixture as it simmers. Pour in the cream and combine it thoroughly with the rest of the soup, allowing it to simmer for another two to three minutes.
You can now blend the soup. For a chunkier texture, use a potato masher, which Gordon said results in a more “rustic” finish. If you prefer a smoother consistency, a stick blender will create a silky purée.
At this point, your soup is ready to serve. For an ideal pairing, Gordon suggested preparing cheesy toast to accompany this comforting dish.
Preparing the Pesto
To elevate your soup further, Gordon suggested topping it with a “punchy sun-dried pesto” to make it “even more irresistible”.
While your vegetables are roasting, start on the pesto. Begin by lightly toasting pine nuts in a dry frying pan until they turn golden brown.
Next, place the sun-dried tomatoes into a pestle and mortar and grind until they break down completely. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, a sturdy spoon or another blunt tool can be used as a substitute.
Season the mashed tomatoes with a little black pepper, then add the toasted pine nuts and continue grinding until the texture starts to become creamy. Drizzle in a bit of olive oil along with some of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes — this, according to Gordon, will “really help make a stunning pesto”.
Finally, grate in some Parmesan cheese and blend the mixture into a smooth, creamy paste.
Your pesto is now ready to spoon over the top of the rich, velvety tomato soup.