Tomato and Basil Soup (Printable version)

Silky tomato soup with fresh basil and olive oil, ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 basil leaves for serving
11 - Additional olive oil for drizzling

# How To Make:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until they break down and release their juices.
04 - Add the vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
05 - Add the basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and silky, or carefully blend in batches in a standard blender.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt, pepper, or sugar.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweetness of ripe tomatoes paired with fragrant basil creates a depth of flavor that tastes like you spent hours simmering it
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it came from a cozy Italian restaurant
  • The recipe is incredibly forgiving and adaptable to whatever tomatoes you have on hand
02 -
  • Never seal a blender lid completely tight when blending hot soup or it will explode everywhere—remove the center insert and hold a towel over the opening instead
  • The sugar trick genuinely saves acidic tomatoes from making the whole soup taste sharp and unbalanced
  • An immersion blender is worth it for this recipe because it creates that silky texture without the risk and mess of transferring hot liquid
03 -
  • Use the back of a wooden spoon to press the tomatoes against the side of the pan while they cook—this helps them break down faster
  • If the soup seems too thick after blending, add stock one tablespoon at a time until you reach your preferred consistency
  • Fresh basil is absolutely worth it here because dried basil cannot replicate that bright, peppery sweetness
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