Fresh Tomato Soup With Garden Tomatoes Recipe

I’ll show you How To Make Fresh Tomato Soup from garden tomatoes and even frozen roasted ones, so you can finally skip canned soup and see why it pairs so well with grilled cheese.

I used to reach for the canned stuff without thinking, until I made this and realized how wrong I was. How To Make Fresh Tomato Soup feels like a small magic trick you can pull off with garden tomatoes and a few fresh basil leaves.

The flavor is clean but layered, bright and a little unexpected, and theres a texture that makes you wonder why you ever settled for brick-red soup in a can. I half-ruined a batch once but it still tasted amazing, so really you cant mess this up too badly.

Read on and you might stop buying canned forever.

Ingredients

• Bright, juicy base; rich in vitamin C, fiber and natural sweetness, slightly acidic.
• Adds silky mouthfeel, heart healthy monounsaturated fats, brings savory depth.
• Gives creaminess and round flavor, it adds saturated fat and rich texture.
• Sweet and aromatic when cooked, provides natural sugars, fiber and body.
• Punchy savory note, contains antioxidants and umami like compounds.
• Fresh herbal lift, fragrant oils brighten flavor, low calorie and fresh.
• Optional for silkier finish, adds calories and fat, mellows acidity.
• Broth builds savory backbone, supplies modest protein and salt, keeps soup light.
• Concentrated tomato punch, boosts depth, adds umami and stronger tomato flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds ripe garden tomatoes, about 6 to 8 medium
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half, optional
• 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
• 1 bay leaf, optional
• About 2 cups roasted tomatoes frozen or fresh, optional

How to Make this

1. Prep the tomatoes: cut a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato, drop them in boiling water 30 to 60 seconds until skins start to split, then transfer to an ice bath and peel, core and quarter. If you’re using frozen roasted tomatoes, thaw them and skip this step.

2. In a large pot over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, add 1 medium chopped yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent about 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant, then stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook another 1 to 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.

4. Add the fresh quartered tomatoes and about 2 cups roasted tomatoes if you’re using them, pour in 2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth, add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss in 1 bay leaf if desired.

5. Bring to a simmer, break up any large tomato pieces with a spoon, then simmer gently uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes so flavors meld and some liquid reduces.

6. Remove the bay leaf, then blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender right in the pot or carefully in batches in a blender (vent the lid and cover with a kitchen towel so it can breathe).

7. For an extra silky finish push the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve with a spatula, but its optional if you like a bit more texture.

8. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half if using, warm gently for a minute or two but dont let it boil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or a pinch more sugar if tomatoes are still tart.

9. Tear 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves and stir most into the soup to let them wilt, reserve a few for garnish. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil or a swirl of cream and crusty bread or grilled cheese.

10. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. If freezing, leave a little headroom in the container because soup expands.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot or Dutch oven, big enough for 6 to 8 tomatoes and the broth
2. Sharp chef’s knife for scoring, peeling, coring and quartering tomatoes
3. Cutting board
4. Large bowl for an ice bath and tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer tomatoes
5. Wooden or heatproof spoon to sauté onions, garlic and break up tomato pieces
6. Immersion blender or regular blender (vent the lid and cover with a kitchen towel when blending hot soup) — dont forget the towel
7. Fine mesh sieve and a flexible spatula for an extra silky finish, its optional but nice
8. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a ladle for serving and containers for storing leftovers

FAQ

Fresh Tomato Soup With Garden Tomatoes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Tomatoes: If garden tomatoes arent available, use one 28 oz can whole peeled or fire roasted tomatoes (about equal to 2 1/2–3 lb). Crush by hand or pulse in a blender, taste and cut back on added sugar since canned are often sweeter.
• Butter: Swap the 2 tbsp unsalted butter for 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or use ghee for a similar richness if you want dairy flavor without the milk solids.
• Broth: Replace 2 cups low sodium broth with 2 cups water plus 1 good bouillon cube or 1 tsp concentrated stock paste, or for extra tomato depth use 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup low sodium tomato juice.
• Heavy cream: For a lighter soup use 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1 tbsp melted butter, or for dairy free try 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or 1/2 cup cashew cream; if using yogurt, temper it into a bit of warm soup first so it doesnt curdle.

Pro Tips

1. Roast or blister some of the tomatoes first if you can, it concentrates the flavor big time and makes the soup taste richer, even a handful of roasted/charred ones mixed in helps. If you only have fresh, toss the cores into the pot at the start to boost the tomato flavor, then fish them out before blending.

2. Don’t just stir in the tomato paste, cook it until it darkens and smells almost sweet, a little more time here adds deep umami. But watch it closely or it will burn, it happens fast.

3. Blend with care, especially when it’s hot. Let the pot cool a few minutes, then blend in small batches with the blender lid vented and a towel over it, or use an immersion blender and finish by pushing through a fine mesh for silkiness. If you like a bit of body, save a cup of unblended tomatoes and stir them back in.

4. Finish and store smart: temper any cream by whisking in a bit of hot soup before adding to the pot, and never boil after dairy goes in. For long term storage freeze the soup without the cream, then add fresh cream when you reheat. For brightening, a tiny splash of good vinegar or lemon at the end usually beats more sugar.