Tomato Basil Soup
A silky, deeply flavored tomato soup that comes together in one pot.
⏱
Prep
10 min
⏱
Cook
30 min
👥
Serves
4
👨🍳
Level
Easy
This is a proper weeknight tomato soup — bright with fresh basil, rounded with a little cream, and rich enough that it feels like it took much longer to make than it did.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 x 28 oz (800 g) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, plus more to serve
- Salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- 3
Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, sugar and a big pinch of salt. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the basil, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender).
- 5
Return to low heat, stir in the cream and season to taste. Serve with extra basil and crusty bread.
Chef's tips
- A pinch of sugar balances the acidity of canned tomatoes — do not skip it.
- For a dairy-free version, replace the cream with full-fat coconut milk.