Tomato Soup is a favourite recipe of mine. It inspires me because it gives the same restaurant-style feeling without adding any flour or cornflour to thicken the broth. It is my go-to option for a homemade yet less heavy alternative to the otherwise creamy tomato soup. I like the subtle blend of tomatoes and ingredients that enhances its delicacy. Personally, I feel that the addition of basil uplifts the taste of this dish to new heights, whereas the tomato sauce balances the flavours. It is my go-to soup, which is comforting and light but filling enough to be good enough for a meal.
Why Love This Recipe
- This simple tomato soup is a great homemade starter.
- It uses ripe tomatoes, basil, and black pepper to create a fresh, mildly spicy and tangy flavor.
- It can be served either hot as is or with some crunchy homemade croutons and a splash of fresh cream on top.
- It takes me about 40 minutes to make this soup, including dicing, cooking, straining, and reheating.
- If you like homemade soups, you could also try making sweet corn soup, vegetable clear soup, or roasted tomato soup.
The Ingredients:
- 1 kg tomatoes (ripe, cleaned, cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece onion (finely chopped)
- 10 pieces garlic cloves
- 1 piece leek (finely chopped)
- 1 piece ginger (finely chopped)
- ½ piece carrot (finely chopped)
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 30 pieces black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or any refined oil)
- 5 pieces basil leaves
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 tsp tomato sauce
- 1 liter water
- Fresh cream (as much as required for garnishing)
How to Make Tomato Soup? (Step by Step Guide with Photos)
Step 1: Take 1 kg ripe tomatoes. Wash them nicely and cut them into small pieces.
(Pro tip: I prefer using red hybrid tomatoes for this recipe as they are less tangy, give more pulp, and cook faster.)
Step 2: Finely chop 1 piece of onion, 10 pieces of garlic cloves, 1 piece of leek, 1 piece of ginger and ½ piece of carrot. Keep them aside.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pressure cooker. Then add 2 pieces of bay leaves along with 30 pieces of black peppercorns. When the pepper crackles, add the chopped vegetables and fry for a minute or two on a high flame.
(Pro tip: Frying the vegetables on a high flame removes the raw smell, especially from the onions, faster).
Step 4: Add the tomato pieces and 1 tsp of salt. Stir continuously to cook the tomatoes on a high flame for about 2 minutes. Then reduce the flame to medium and cook the tomatoes further for another 7 to 8 minutes until they become mushy.
(Pro tip: Do not add water at this stage, or else the tomatoes will taste bitter).
Step 5: Check the doneness. Now add 1 liter of water. Mix nicely and cook until the water reduces.
Step 6: Then add 5 pieces of basil leaves in it. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook it for up to 2 whistles, or up to 5 to 6 minutes, whichever is earlier, on a high flame.
Step 7: When done, remove the lid and discard the basil leaves. Strain the soup. Squeeze the juice from the pulp as well.
Step 8: After squeezing the juice, transfer the pulp to a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste.
Step 9: Strain the paste again to remove the remaining seeds, if any. Mix well.
(Pro tip: Making a paste of the pulp, straining and adding makes the soup clear and consistent without needing corn flour or maida).
Step 10: Put the soup back into the pressure cooker again and add half a tsp of salt to it. Mix and bring to a boil.
Step 11: Add 3 tsp of tomato sauce to it. Mix, stir continuously and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame. Transfer it to a soup bowl.
Step 12: Your tasty and healthy homemade tomato soup is ready. Garnish it with fresh cream and serve with freshly made croutons.
Explore Creative Ways
- When leeks are not available, I use coriander stems.
- For a fully vegetarian version, I skip onion and garlic in this recipe. It tastes equally good.
- I often make this soup using butter instead of oil. It enhances the taste and flavor further.
- If the tomatoes are too tangy, I sometimes add a spoon of sugar to it, or honey if guests want a sugar-free version.
Tomato Soup Recipe Simple Solutions
Q: Why are the tomatoes firm after step 4?
A: Simmer for a while until they soften and break up.
Q: If the peppercorns have not crackled in step 3, when should I add the vegetables?
A: The oil may need a little more heating, but you must be careful not to burn the peppercorns.
Q: Why does the tomato mixture in step 4 stick?
A: Reduce the heat slightly and stir the mixture frequently until the tomatoes are tender enough to break up.
Q: How can I properly blend the pulp obtained in step 8?
A: Allow the mixture to cool a little before blending it. You may need to do it in batches.
Q: How could I avoid the soup from developing a skin as it cools?
A: Cover the soup while it cools and then stir it before serving.
Recipe Card
Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 kg tomatoes ripe, cleaned, cut into small pieces
- 1 piece onion finely chopped
- 10 pieces garlic cloves
- 1 piece leek finely chopped
- 1 piece ginger finely chopped
- ½ piece carrot finely chopped
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 30 pieces black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp olive oil or any refined oil
- 5 pieces basil leaves
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 tsp tomato sauce
- 1 liter water
- Fresh cream as much as required for garnishing
Instructions
- Take 1 kg ripe tomatoes. Wash them nicely and cut them into small pieces. (Pro tip: I prefer using red hybrid tomatoes for this recipe as they are less tangy, give more pulp, and cook faster.)
- Finely chop 1 piece of onion, 10 pieces of garlic cloves, 1 piece of leek, 1 piece of ginger and ½ piece of carrot. Keep them aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pressure cooker. Then add 2 pieces of bay leaves along with 30 pieces of black peppercorns. When the pepper crackles, add the chopped vegetables and fry for a minute or two on a high flame. (Pro tip: Frying the vegetables on a high flame removes the raw smell, especially from the onions, faster).
- Add the tomato pieces and 1 tsp of salt. Stir continuously to cook the tomatoes on a high flame for about 2 minutes. Then reduce the flame to medium and cook the tomatoes further for another 7 to 8 minutes until they become mushy. (Pro tip: Do not add water at this stage, or else the tomatoes will taste bitter).
- Check the doneness. Now add 1 liter of water. Mix nicely and cook until the water reduces.
- Then add 5 pieces of basil leaves in it. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook it for up to 2 whistles, or up to 5 to 6 minutes, whichever is earlier, on a high flame.
- When done, remove the lid and discard the basil leaves. Strain the soup. Squeeze the juice from the pulp as well.
- After squeezing the juice, transfer the pulp to a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste.
- Strain the paste again to remove the remaining seeds, if any. Mix well. (Pro tip: Making a paste of the pulp, straining and adding makes the soup clear and consistent without needing corn flour or maida).
- Put the soup back into the pressure cooker again and add half a tsp of salt to it. Mix and bring to a boil.
- Add 3 tsp of tomato sauce to it. Mix, stir continuously and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on a medium flame. Transfer it to a soup bowl.
- Your tasty and healthy homemade tomato soup is ready. Garnish it with fresh cream and serve with freshly made croutons.
