Tomato and Basil Soup (Printable)

Silky tomato soup with aromatic basil, ready in 40 minutes for comforting meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3.3 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

04 - 3 cups vegetable stock
05 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

→ Herbs & Seasoning

06 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, picked
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
08 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional for balancing acidity

→ Garnish

10 - Extra fresh basil leaves
11 - Additional extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes break down and release their natural juices.
04 - Add vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
05 - Add basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish. Blend soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a standard blender until smooth and silky.
06 - Taste soup and adjust salt, pepper, or sugar as needed to achieve desired balance.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, topped with reserved basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This soup somehow tastes like summer sunshine even on the coldest days, with tomatoes and basil playing off each other in perfect harmony.
  • Its incredibly versatile, working as an elegant starter for dinner parties or paired with grilled cheese for the ultimate cozy lunch.
02 -
  • Adding a teaspoon of sugar isnt cheating, its actually crucial if your tomatoes arent perfectly ripe, as it balances the acidity without making the soup taste sweet.
  • Let the soup cool slightly before blending to prevent hot liquid explosions, a lesson I learned the hard way when my ceiling wore tomato soup for a week.
03 -
  • For an intensified flavor, slow roast half the tomatoes before adding them to the soup, which concentrates their sweetness and adds a subtle smokiness that elevates the entire dish.
  • Blend in a single basil stem along with the leaves, as the stems actually contain more flavor compounds than most people realize, just make sure youre blending thoroughly.
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