Classic Tomato Basil Soup

This tomato basil soup uses 1.5kg tomatoes and 750ml vegetable stock for a blended soup, rather than a thick pasta sauce. Choose ripe fresh tomatoes or tinned tomatoes, then add fresh basil during the final minutes of simmering.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg ripe tomatoes (or quality tinned tomatoes)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 750ml vegetable stock
• Fresh basil (1 generous bunch)
• 1 tsp sugar (to balance acidity)
• Sea salt & black pepper
• Optional: 100ml double cream for richness

Fresh or tinned tomatoes?

Use the same 1.5kg tomato quantity for either option. Roughly chop fresh tomatoes before adding them. The original method does not require peeling or deseeding them; blending is the finishing step. Fresh and tinned tomatoes can differ in sweetness, acidity and water content, so taste the finished soup before adjusting the seasoning.

How to make tomato basil soup

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, until soft.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes. Tear in the basil leaves during the final 5 minutes.
6. Use a hand blender to blend until smooth, following its directions for hot liquids. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Optional creamy version

After blending, stir in the optional 100ml double cream. The original variation also allows 100ml crème fraîche instead. Either addition introduces dairy; neither is needed for the tomato-and-stock base.

Allow time before the simmer

The 25–30 minutes is simmering time, not total time. Chopping, softening the onion, cooking the garlic and tomatoes, bringing the soup to a boil and blending take additional time.

Preparing portions for another day

Divide leftovers into clean, shallow containers and refrigerate promptly rather than leaving the whole pot at room temperature to cool completely. If freezing, choose freezer-safe containers, leave expansion space according to their instructions and label the portions.

Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a pot, stirring until hot throughout. If you added cream or crème fraîche, the texture may change after freezing. This recipe has not been tested to establish a fixed storage shelf life.

Serving ideas

Serve with sourdough, a grilled cheese sandwich or your preferred side. Fresh mozzarella and extra basil are optional toppings. Choose portions to suit the meal rather than treating the batch as a guaranteed three meals.

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