The easiest Tomato Basil Soup EVER, and it's so fresh & vibrant. Ready in just 10 minutes and made with only 4 ingredients (plus salt, pepper & optional olive oil).
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FEATURED COMMENT:
"Oh my goodness, this soup is SO easy and SO delicious!! I didn't change a thing from the original recipe, and it turned out absolutely perfect!"
- Susan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
The easiest Tomato Basil Soup and a real reader favourite with over 100 5-star reviews!
This is the soup recipe you need if you want the flavour of your tomatoes and basil to really shine! The only ingredients are tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil (plus a little seasoning and optional olive oil).
It's so simple and quick to make. In fact, from start to finish, it can be ready in 10 minutes, and as it's cooked so quickly, with no stock, milk, cream, or liquid of any kind added, the amazing fresh flavour of the tomato and basil isn't diluted and remains super fresh, vibrant, and aromatic.
This simple tomato soup, my tomato fritters, and my cherry tomato sauce are my favourite recipes to make during summer when we have loads of homegrown tomatoes to use up.
Mel x
Important Tip!
This soup's ingredient list is very short and simple. We're talking just fresh tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, onion, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings.
Because of this, the quality of the ingredients you use is important.
The better the tomatoes and basil you use, the better your soup will taste. You can use any variety of fresh tomatoes, such as plum, Roma, cherry, grape, vine, beefsteak, etc, or a combination. This is a great recipe to use up lots of homegrown or local tomatoes and basil in summer. But if you use tasteless out-of-season tomatoes and basil, your soup will not be at its best.
How To Make Tomato Basil Soup
In just 10 minutes and a few simple steps, you could be tucking into a bowl of this fresh and delicious Tomato Basil Soup. It's so quick and easy.
Here's how it's done:
- Sauté the garlic and onion
- Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until hot and just starting to break down.
- Add the basil and seasoning.
- Blend with an immersion blender in the pan or transfer to a blender (if doing this, you may need to work in batches). Blend until smooth. There is no need to cook the soup any longer once the basil is added. Certainly don't let it boil or you will lose much of its flavour.
The only liquid you need for this soup comes from the tomatoes themselves. Don't add any extra. Cooking the soup this way ensures the flavour of the tomatoes and basil stays super fresh and undiluted.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what goes with Tomato Basil Soup? I love to serve mine with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper. A side of bread and butter or a grilled cheese sandwich would not go amiss. Other accompaniments that work well include:
- A scattering of vegan croutons
- Vegan ricotta or Parmesan cheese
- A swirl of kale pesto
- Thick wedges of Miracle No Knead Focaccia, Sourdough or Light Whole Wheat Bread
- No Yeast White Bread or Yeast-Free Spelt Bread
Tomato Basil Soup Recipe FAQs
No. Just chop them up and throw them in. By the time it's blended, you don't know they are there anyway!
Not for this recipe. It relies on the flavour of the fresh tomatoes too much. The recipe would need a complete overhaul to work well with canned tomatoes. I recommend you try this Vegan Tomato Soup recipe.
I would add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste/puree and 2 to 3 teaspoons of white or cane sugar. Sugar enhances the flavour of food just like salt does, and works especially well with tomatoes. It also helps cut any bitterness. Tomato paste will thicken the soup, so you might need to add a drop of water or vegetable broth/stock, too.
There are only about 280 calories in the entire pan of this soup. It is very low in fat and calories. You can even make it completely fat-free by omitting the olive oil and sautéing the onions and garlic in a drop of water instead. I've been told it works very well for people following Slimming World and Weight Watchers.
Prefer a creamier tomato bisque-style soup? Stir through a little store-bought vegan cream, light coconut milk, homemade cashew cream, or even a little cashew milk just before serving and allow to warm through.
If you are looking for a creamy tomato soup made from canned tomatoes, give my Vegan Tomato Soup or Instant Pot Tomato Soup a try.
Recipe
Easy Tomato Basil Soup
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , (for oil-free use a little bit of water)
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 3 large cloves garlic , minced
- 7 cups (49 oz / 1.4 kg) chopped fresh tomatoes , (large, cherry, grape, or a mixture)
- 1 large handful fresh basil , roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt , or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the oil in a large pan and heat on medium.
- Once the oil is hot add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and just starting to turn golden on the edges. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the tomatoes are simmering and just starting to break down. The smaller the tomato pieces, the quicker this will happen. Larger chunks might take a couple minutes more.
- Remove from the heat and add the basil, salt and pepper then blend with an immersion blender in the pan, or transfer to a blender, blend then return to the pan for a minute or two just to warm up again. Don't heat it up too much or for any more than a couple of minutes, and certainly don't let it boil, or you'll lose the lovely fresh basil flavour.
- Serve immediately. I love to top mine with a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and lots of cracked black pepper!
NOTES
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Andrea Thompson says
Very delicious. I used this recipe as a starter and since I used end-of-the-season tomatoes, I added 6 oz of tomato paste and 1 Tbsp of sugar. My tomatoes weren’t as juicy and they needed the extra flavor. I also added some heavy cream, which makes it non-Vegan, but really yummy.