Fresh Tomato Soup
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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x
Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh roma (plum) tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking, plus olive oil for finishing
- 1 white or yellow onion, halved and sliced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, or up to several more to taste, sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 to 3 cups Vegetable Stock or water
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Core the tomatoes and chop them. You can peel them first and squeeze out the seeds, but I rarely do.
- Put the olive oil for cooking in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and let it sizzle for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break up and caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 2 cups of the liquid, stir, and bring to a boil.
- Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring once or twice until the flavors mingle,
about 5 minutes. Fish out the herb sprigs if you used them. Taste and adjust the seasoning; add the sugar to balance the acidity if you like. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more liquid. Garnish with the chopped fresh herbs and a drizzle of finishing oil and serve.
Recipe variations
Peak-Summer Fresh Tomato Soup
When tomatoes are at their best, you can use any ripe and juicy variety. Skip the tomato paste and increase the tomatoes to almost 3 pounds. Let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes in Step 3 before adding the liquid and proceeding with the recipe.
Chilled Fresh Tomato Soup
For a deconstructed gazpacho, make either the main recipe or the first variation far enough in advance of serving to allow for at least 4 hours to chill it in the fridge. Then serve topped with chopped cucumber, scallions, bell pepper (any color), and parsley. A dollop of plantbased yogurt instead of—or with—the olive oil drizzle is lovely, too.
Wintertime Tomato Soup
Works for the chilled variation above and creamy variation below, too. Substitute one 28-ounce and one 15 ounce can diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes in the main recipe. Everything else stays the same from Step 2 on.
Hot or Cold Creamy Tomato Soup
For the main recipe as well as Peak-Summer and Wintertime variations. When the soup is ready in Step 4, add 1 cup soft silken tofu or any plant-based yogurt or milk and purée as described above. Eat right away, or refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve chilled.