Tomato and Basil Soup (Printable version)

Silky tomato soup with fresh basil and olive oil, ready in 40 minutes for a comforting Italian-inspired meal.

# 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 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional for acidity balance

→ Garnish

10 - Extra basil leaves
11 - Additional olive oil for drizzling

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, allowing them to break down and release their natural juices.
04 - Add vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
05 - Add basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and silky, or transfer in batches to a blender.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity balance as needed.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with reserved basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but comes together in under an hour with just a handful of ingredients.
  • The basil adds such a personality to the soup that people always ask what your secret is.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you can serve it to almost anyone without apology.
  • A batch freezes beautifully, so one afternoon of cooking feeds you for weeks.
02 -
  • If you blend it while it's still boiling hot, the steam can actually splatter soup everywhere—let it cool for a minute or two first, or work in smaller batches and take your time.
  • The sugar isn't a cheat or a shortcut; tomato acidity varies wildly depending on season and variety, and a teaspoon of sugar is the difference between a soup that tastes complete and one that tastes like it's missing something you can't name.
03 -
  • Buy tomatoes a day or two before you plan to make this—they'll have had time to develop even more flavor if you let them sit on your counter instead of in the fridge.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works perfectly; just let the soup cool slightly and work in batches to avoid hot splatters.
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