Classic Tomato Soup Recipe - Simple Comfort Food

Looking for a classic tomato soup recipe? This simple tomato and basil soup will definitely hit the spot and is perfect for a light healthy meal! The tinned tomatoes make it a great store cupboard meal too.

Some soups can be adventurous and make you wonder why you've never had a soup with quite those flavours before. But more often you're craving soup and all you want is a comfort food classic: Tomato soup. A good tomato soup recipe is definitely something everyone needs.

This tomato soup is a recipe I've been making repeatedly over the past ten years. It's perfect for a light meal at lunch time. The leftovers can be heated up the next day or even frozen and it's all made with store cupboard ingredients! That is definitely a good thing.

Simple Flavours = Great Soup

When I was younger I didn't really appreciate tomato soup. In fact, I thought it was a bit boring and bland. I wanted extra ingredients and flavours to add some punch. I was definitely tempted to spice things up and throw in a chilli pepper! 

However, my husband loves tomato soup. Although he is a complete chilli lover, he likes a good old plain and simple classic tomato soup.

That was the reason I had to make one. Little did I know that I would actually come to appreciate its simplicity. I discovered that tomato soup is Britain's favourite soup for a reason!

What is this tomato soup recipe like?

Unlike many of my other soups there are no spices, except black pepper, which hardly counts as a spice.

There's just a little basil and everyone knows how well that goes with tomatoes. It really is a simple soup, but simply good and tasty.

It also tastes quite creamy even though it doesn't contain any cream. It does contain milk though so it's not dairy free. However, you can adapt it to make it dairy free.

Can you adapt this classic tomato soup recipe?

I have adapted this recipe and made coriander and tomato soup instead of basil. It's just as delicious and perfect if you want a change.

I don't normally adapt this soup though as it's so good just as it it! However, you can adapt how you serve it. Why not top it with croutons or crispy pieces of fried bacon or chorizo?

If you want to make this soup vegan or dairy-free then you can substitute the milk for a plant based milk and it will work just as well.

What can you serve with tomato soup?

Most often we just have bread with our soup. A good loaf of French bread is perfect but if you want to make your own bread then why not try this garlic and herb butter quick bread? A simple soda bread? or Just good old plain white bread rolls?

Sometimes I'll have a sandwich on the side. A toasted cheese sandwich is delicious with it.

It is suitable for batch cooking?

To make life easier I love to batch cook soups and stews. This one is no exception. You can easily double the recipe using two tins of tomatoes intead of one and then just double the other ingredients too.

The leftovers can be stored in the fridge or frozen for later.

Storing this soup

If you don't eat all the soup when you make it then the leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Just reheat it in a saucepan or in the microwave.

How to freeze it

Just put it into freezer proof containers and you can freeze it for up to three months.

Defrost it overnight in the fridge or in the microwave and then reheat it thoroughly before serving.

Recipe

Classic Tomato Soup Recipe

Adapted from a recipe at BBC Good Food

Looking for a classic tomato soup recipe?   This simple tomato and basil soup will definitely hit the spot and is perfect for a light healthy meal!

4.84 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine British

Servings 2

Calories 245 kcal

Equipment

• Stick blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon basil leaves chopped
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 300 ml milk
• Pinch black pepper
• Pinch salt optional

Instructions

 

• Heat some olive oil in a saucepan.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook until it becomes soft.   Add the tomato puree.
• Add the tinned tomatoes.   Cook for about 10 minutes.
• Using a stick blender, blend the tomato mixture.  Return to the pan.
• Mix the bicarbonate of soda with a little milk.  Pour it into the pan with the soup and then pour the milk in.  
• Stir, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes.  Don't worry that it froths a bit, this disappears as it cooks.
• Stir in the basil. Season with the black pepper and salt if you are using it.  Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and a guideline only.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 9gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 491mgPotassium: 899mgFiber: 5gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 784IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 250mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Classic tomato soup recipe

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More delicious homemade soup recipes

I've even got a recipe collection entirely for homemade soups. Or why not try one of these soups:

• Healthy tomato and couscous soup
• Tomato and sausage soup
• Spiced leek and potato soup
• Spiced tomato and tahini soup

Keep in touch

Do let me know if you make this classic tomato and basil soup recipe. I love to get feedback from readers.

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