Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto (Print Version)

Velvety tomato soup crowned with a fresh basil pesto swirl. Vegetarian, ready in 45 minutes, serves four.

# 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

# How-To:

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 garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add 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 - In a food processor, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
06 - Once the soup is cooked, blend until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches with a countertop blender.
07 - Stir in cream. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Warm through but do not boil.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a swirl of basil pesto. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms ordinary pantry ingredients into something that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The pesto swirl adds a fresh herbal punch that keeps every spoonful interesting.
  • You can make it on a weeknight and still feel like you cooked something special.
  • It freezes beautifully, so one batch can save you on multiple busy evenings.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sugar, even if it feels wrong to add it, it's the secret to balancing the tomato acidity.
  • Blend the soup in small batches if using a countertop blender, hot liquid expands and can blow the lid off.
  • Make the pesto while the soup simmers so everything finishes at the same time and you're not scrambling.
  • If your pesto is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of the soup itself for a looser consistency.
03 -
  • Roast the tomatoes with the onion and garlic before adding liquid for a deeper, caramelized flavor.
  • Use a high powered blender if you have one, it makes the soup incredibly smooth and almost creamy even before you add the cream.
  • Toast the pine nuts lightly in a dry pan before making the pesto, it brings out a nutty sweetness that elevates the whole dish.
  • If the pesto turns brown after a day, stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it back up.
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