Description
This vibrant Tomato & Basil Soup is a comforting blend of sundried tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and fresh basil pesto, enriched with soured cream for a velvety finish. It’s a quick and easy stovetop recipe perfect for a cozy lunch or dinner, offering rich tomato flavors balanced by sweet and tangy notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5 soft sundried or SunBlush tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
- 3 x 400g cans plum tomatoes
- 500ml turkey or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp sugar, any type, or more to taste
- 142ml pot soured cream
- 125g pot fresh basil pesto
- Basil leaves, to serve
Optional Hearty Rice & Seafood Soup Variation
- 2 tbsp oil from the sundried/SunBlush tomatoes
- 185g sliced chorizo
- 1 sliced onion
- 85g paella rice
- 400g defrosted mixed seafood (frozen)
- Chopped parsley, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the crushed garlic and soften gently for a few minutes, ensuring it doesn’t burn, to release its flavor.
- Add tomatoes and stock: Stir in the roughly chopped sundried or SunBlush tomatoes along with the canned plum tomatoes. Pour in the turkey or vegetable stock, add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the soup: Let the soup bubble gently for about 10 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to break down slightly and meld with the stock, developing a rich tomato base.
- Blend the soup: Using a stick blender, whizz the soup until smooth. While blending, gradually add half of the soured cream to incorporate a creamy texture and mellow the acidity.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more sugar if the soup is too acidic, and season with salt and pepper to balance the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Swirl in about 1 tablespoon of fresh basil pesto on top, add a little more soured cream as garnish, and scatter with fresh basil leaves for added aroma and flavor.
Notes
- For a heartier meal, try the Rice & Seafood variation by adding chorizo, onion, paella rice, and mixed seafood as described in the tip.
- You can substitute turkey stock with vegetable stock to make the soup vegetarian.
- Adjust the sugar quantity based on the sweetness of your tomatoes and personal preference to balance acidity.
- Fresh basil leaves add a bright herbal note and make the presentation more appealing.
- Use a stick blender for convenience, but a regular blender can be used—blend in batches if needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: Tomato soup, basil soup, creamy tomato soup, quick soup recipe, easy stovetop soup, healthy tomato soup
