This is the best winter tomato soup recipe and our favorite! You wouldn't expect that canned tomatoes would taste like summer in a bowl. With only a few additional ingredients that are always available any time of the year, can come together and make such a tasty and velvety tomato soup. The aromatic basil ultimately adds a hint of mint, anise and pepper that also adds some sweetness and freshness to the soup.
What do you need for this excellent tomato soup?
Availability of all the ingredients makes this tomato soup exciting. You might even have all the ingredients listed in this recipe while you are reading this.
- Whole or crashed can tomatoes.
- Celery
- onion
- basil
- Parmesan cheese
Using canned tomatoes fascinates me because of its affordability and ease of making a delicious soup. Now, when we talk about canned tomatoes, are you one of those who read thoroughly the label? let me share with you my secret, "I only use plain canned tomatoes" - no salt, no herbs and spices. Do you know why? you can add anything according to your taste. You can control the salt, you can add your favorite herbs and spices, and guess what, it will taste like you just picked up fresh tomatoes from your garden.
Can you use fresh tomatoes for this winter tomato soup recipe?
Definitely! Some want to remove the tomato skin when they make tomato sauce or soup from scratch - By giving an X cut at the tip of the tomatoes and dropping them in boiling water for a few minutes just to loosen the skin away from the flesh. This makes it easier to peel the tomatoes. But why to bother, you're going to blend it anyways.
Do you know what is great about tomato skin?
Tomato peels contribute a high concentration of the carotenoids found in tomatoes. The amount of carotenoids absorbed by human intestinal cells was much greater with tomato paste enriched with tomato peels. Tomato skin also holds most of the flavoniods.
Elain Magge, MPH, RD https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-properties-tomatoes
If you want to use fresh tomatoes, this recipe needs at least 10 pieces of Roma tomatoes approximately 2 pounds. Slice the tomatoes in half, arrange them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a dash of salt, any herbs available and a good splash of olive oil and roast at 425F until there is a nice speck of char, tomatoes burst their flesh and fragrant, about 25-30. If time is crucial, just grate the tomatoes using the large hole of a grater box or just use your knife and chopping board to chop them.
Celery, onion and basil for the best flavor
- Celery is savory both mild and strong at the same time. I love the bold, salty-herbceous distink flavor that jump out with a hint of bitterness. Sometimes I use it often as the star in my cooking.
- Yellow onion or cooking onion is the most general type of onion. They have a sharp- astringent flavor but they also have a bit of a sweetness which is great for super savory dish. cooking onions has a robust and deep flavor.
- Sweet basil is a fragrant herb that has a light herbal bouquet that allows to complement a wide variety of food including vegetables, meat and cheeses, that is why Italians love them so much with their cheese and tomatoes. Aside from basil being popular to cooks and chefs, It also provides medicinal purpose.
Sweet basil acts principally on the digestive and nervous system, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic and indigestion
Andrew Chivalier, FNIMH , Encyclopedia of herbal medicine
- I hope you never throw away any of your parmesan rind. I simply collect them and store in the freezer. Can you eat the rind? YES!! The rind is the protective layer that were developed on the outside of the cheese as it ages. They become hard and tough to chew but it is packed with flavor that is amazing to use to enrich sauces, soups, stews and many more. Please don't get disappointed if you don't have them, but it's always fantastic to save them. Parmesan rind are not just lefovers.
How to make the easiest tomato winter soup from scratch?
If you love a quick, easy, no-fuss, and extremely delicious homemade tomato soup, this is it! It is excellent with canned tomatoes but you can use fresh tomatoes if you prefer.
This soup involves sauteing the celery and onion until soft and fragrant, add the chopped stems of basil, parmesan rind, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then continue simmering until the soup thickens slightly and tastes delicious. Transfer in the blender together with the basil leaf or use a hand-held stick blender and puree the soup until velvety smooth. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese if you have them on hand.
To sum this up...
To maximize the health properties of the best winter tomato soup, it is best to not peel the tomatoes (except most of the canned tomatoes were skin off). Use a generous amount of basil, there's no such thing as basil overdose. Serve with garlic and oregano bread, or my family's favorite balance me grilled cheese sandwich Or, this homemade no-knead bread on the side. It is a match-made blessing from heaven for a complete meal, just saying.
📖 Recipe
Cheesy winter tomato and basil soup
Equipment
- Large saucepan, blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 2 stalks Celery, sliced
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 5 stems Basil, stem and leaves separated
- 796 ml Canned tomatoes
- 1 cup Vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano or 2 teaspoon fresh oregano (optional)
- parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon Honey or sugar
- 8 tablespoon Grated parmesan cheese plus extra for serving. (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add celery, onion, red pepper flakes and chopped stem of basil. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Crank the heat on high. Add tomatoes including the juice, stock or water, bay leaf, oregano and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to simmer with the lid on slightly ajar for 25 minutes, stirring once in a while.
- Add salt, pepper and honey; continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
- Discard the parmesan rind and bay leaf. Transfer to the blender, food processor or use a handheld stick blender. Add all the basil leaf leaving a few leaves for garnish and blend until very smooth. Taste and add extra seasoning according to your taste.
- Ladle the soup into the bowl, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese or more in each bowl. Drizzle a good splash of olive oil then garnish with the remaining basil leaf. Serve!
Notes
- No salt canned whole or crushed tomatoes is always a preference.
- Some cans of tomatoes are too acidic, adding sugar or a pinch of baking soda will help neutralize the acid in the tomatoes. Or when your tomatoes turned out more sour than what you expected, you can add milk to your soup without risking to curdle.
- This recipe yields 4 servings as a starter or a generous two serving as the main course.
- If you want to use fresh tomatoes, you will need 10 Roma tomatoes, about 2 pounds.
Justin says
Easy to make, delicious, amazing!!
Myline says
Not really a fan of Tomato soup but made this for my Grandma as she is craving for some. Now I became a fan! Me and my grandma were both full, satisfied, and happy after a bowl. Still had some leftover, thinking of maybe using it for pasta.
Greg says
I tried your recipe, very simple and tasted great)