Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto Swirl (Printable)

Smooth, creamy tomato soup elevated with a vibrant swirl of fresh basil pesto. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What You 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 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

→ Basil Pesto

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
12 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
13 - 1 small garlic clove
14 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

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 tastes like a fancy bistro lunch but comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The pesto swirl makes every spoonful different, a little creamy, a little herby, never boring.
  • You can make it as smooth or chunky as you like, and it reheats beautifully the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip the sugar, even if it sounds strange, tomatoes can be quite acidic and that little bit of sweetness balances everything without making it taste sweet.
  • Blend the soup in batches if using a countertop blender and never fill it more than halfway, hot soup expands and can blow the lid off if you are not careful.
  • Add the cream after blending and keep the heat low, boiling cream can cause it to curdle and ruin the silky texture.
03 -
  • Taste your tomatoes before you start, if they are really acidic, add an extra half teaspoon of sugar to balance it out.
  • If your pesto looks dull or brown, you blended it too long or the basil was not fresh, next time pulse gently and use cold oil.
  • Use a ladle to create the pesto swirl, pour it in a circle and drag a toothpick or knife through it for a fancy pattern.
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