Description

A comforting and nutritious fresh tomato soup paired with cheesy cornbread. This recipe combines the rich flavors of ripe tomatoes, hearty vegetables, and a smoky hint of paprika in the soup, complemented by a golden, cheesy cornbread loaf that’s easy to bake. Perfect for a wholesome lunch or a light dinner, with balanced nutrition and vibrant taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Cornbread

40g wholemeal self-raising flour
85g ground polenta
1 tsp baking powder
40g mature cheddar, finely grated (divided)
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 spring onions (35g), finely sliced
1 green chilli, deseeded, finely sliced
1 large egg
125ml milk

Soup

2 tsp rapeseed oil
3–5 sticks celery (165g), finely chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots (320g), diced
325g floury potatoes, grated
500g tomatoes, chopped
4 tsp vegetable bouillon powder made up to 1 ½ litre with boiling water
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

Instructions

Make the cheesy cornbread dough: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6. Line the base of a non-stick 500g loaf tin with baking parchment. In a bowl, combine the wholemeal self-raising flour, ground polenta, baking powder, half of the grated cheddar, smoked paprika, sliced spring onions, and deseeded green chilli. Toss all ingredients together thoroughly.
Add wet ingredients and bake: Crack in the egg and pour in the milk. Mix well until you have a consistent batter. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Prepare the base for the soup: While the cornbread bakes, heat 2 teaspoons of rapeseed oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped celery, chopped onions, and diced carrots. Fry gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
Add remaining soup ingredients and cook: Stir in the grated potatoes, chopped tomatoes, prepared vegetable bouillon (1 ½ litres), tomato purée, and finely grated garlic. Mix everything evenly, then cover the pan with a lid and allow the soup to simmer gently for 20 minutes, letting the flavors meld and the vegetables cook through.
Blend the soup to smooth: Remove the pan from heat. Using a hand blender, blitz the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve and store leftovers: Spoon half of the soup into two bowls and garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley. Allow the remaining soup to cool before chilling it in the refrigerator for up to another day. Wrap the leftover bread in foil and store it in the fridge for up to three days. When ready to eat, reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave and slice and toast the bread before serving.

Notes

You can adjust the chilli amount according to your heat preference or omit if you prefer a milder bread.
The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours and reheated well without losing flavor.
Leftover cornbread is delicious toasted and makes a great accompaniment to other soups or salads.
Use mature cheddar for a stronger cheese flavor. Mild cheddar can be substituted but may alter the taste.
If blending is inconvenient, blend the soup in batches in a stand blender cautiously to avoid spills.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Lunch
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Keywords: tomato soup, cheesy cornbread, healthy lunch, baking, vegetarian soup, easy homemade soup, wholemeal cornbread, spring onion bread