This is an easy, cosy tomato soup that gets a big flavour boost from a spoonful of basil pesto. It uses just a few ingredients, the hero being those tinned tomatoes that make it a total weeknight hero. It comes together fast, tastes amazing, and you can enjoy it hot or cold. Honestly, it’s hard to mess up!
INGREDIENTS for 4 serves
For the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 × 400 g tins of tomatoes (diced or crushed)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- ½ cup of cooking cream (or milk to make it lighter)
- Salt and pepper
- A splash of balsamic vinegar
For the pesto
You can make this fresh or use store-bought pesto in a jar
- 1 cup of fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic – or more if you prefer
- A pinch of salt
Optional: Serve with crusty bread, freshly grated parmesan and basil.
Method
1. Put a medium/large heavy pot on the stove top and heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and sweet, about 5-6 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for about a minute more (don’t burn it!).
2. Add the tinned tomatoes to the pot, then add the sugar and stock.
3. Bring your soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
4. Use a stick blender to puree the soup until it is smooth. Stir in the cream, then season with salt, pepper, and a splash of balsamic. Keep the soup warm.
If you’re making pesto…
5. In a blender or a mortar and pestle, blend the basil, nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil until smooth but still chunky. Add more olive oil if you feel you need to.
If you’re not making the pesto…
Grab your jar of pesto and pop the lid.
6. Your soup is almost ready to serve, there’s just one more step: Ladle the soup into bowls and get creative with a swirly spoonful of pesto on top.
