Tomato and Basil Soup (Printable version)

Velvety smooth blend of ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, finished with olive oil. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

04 - 3 cups vegetable broth
05 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

→ Herbs & Seasoning

06 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or plant-based cream, optional

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Add sugar if desired. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and add basil leaves. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until silky smooth, or blend in batches using a countertop blender.
06 - Taste and season with salt and pepper. For enhanced richness, stir in heavy cream if using.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer itself, even on the coldest winter nights.
  • You'll have a real soup ready in under an hour, no fancy techniques required.
  • One pot, one blender, and you're basically done—cleanup is mercifully simple.
02 -
  • Don't skip the minute of garlic cooking—it transforms from harsh to honey-sweet and changes the entire depth of the soup.
  • Basil added early becomes bitter and invisible, so always add it at the very end, just before blending, where it stays bright and recognizable.
03 -
  • Roasting tomatoes before adding them to the pot concentrates their sweetness and adds subtle caramelized notes that deepen the entire soup.
  • Taste and season in layers rather than all at once—it's the difference between a flat soup and one that feels balanced and alive.
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