Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto (Printable Version)

Silky tomato soup elevated with a fresh basil pesto swirl. A comforting 45-minute vegetarian classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2.2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped or 2 cans (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

→ Basil Pesto

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
12 - ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
13 - 1 small garlic clove
14 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth, add sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - While the soup simmers, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
06 - Once cooked, blend soup until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches with a countertop blender.
07 - Stir in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Warm through without boiling.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a swirl of basil pesto. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like the kind of soup you'd pay too much for at a cafe, but you can make it in under an hour with pantry staples.
  • The pesto swirl isn't just pretty, it wakes up every spoonful with bright, herbaceous flavor that keeps things interesting.
  • It's endlessly adaptable, so you can make it vegan, add more spice, or pair it with whatever bread or sandwich you have on hand.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream boil after you add it, I learned this the hard way when it curdled and I had to start over.
  • Taste the soup before adding the pesto because the pesto is salty and garlicky, and you might need less seasoning in the soup than you think.
  • If your tomatoes are very acidic, add another half teaspoon of sugar, it won't make the soup sweet but it will smooth out the sharpness.
03 -
  • Roast the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt before adding them to the pot, it deepens the flavor and adds a subtle sweetness.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool slightly before blending in batches and leave the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape safely.
  • Make the pesto in a mortar and pestle if you have the time and energy, the texture is more rustic and the flavors are brighter.
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