Cream of tomato soup recipe

Our cream of tomato soup takes 10 minutes to prep and serves six people for lunch or dinner or more if served as a starter. 

The combination of tomatoes and some carefully selected herbs and spices makes for a delicious, easy and cost effective meal. Tomatoes are in season from June to October and if you've been growing your own, you'll likely be overrun. This is a great recipe for tomatoes that are overripe and very soft. It can also be made in bulk and then frozen in portions for future meals.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 25g butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1tsp paprika
• 1tbsp tomato purée
• 1kg tomatoes, chopped
• 2tsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 600ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 142ml tub double cream
• Basil leaves, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Fry the onion in the butter for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
2. Add the tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf and chicken or vegetable stock. Bring the soup to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup in batches in a food processor or with a stick blender until smooth. Push through a sieve to remove any skin or seeds and return the liquid to a clean pan.
4. Stir in two-thirds of the double cream and reheat the soup gently. Once it's hot, serve your tomato soup immediately in warmed bowls with a swirl of the remaining cream and a garnish of basil leaves, if using.

Top tips for making cream of tomato soup

Tomato soup is a great source of vitamin A and C and one portion of soup can provide around 20% of the daily recommended vitamin C. For some crunch you can sprinkle the top with some croutons or toasted seeds like pumpkin, sunflower or pine nuts work well. Continue reading for more helpful tips and tricks. 

Using a stick blender will help you achieve silky smooth results and means less washing up! This 2-in-1 blender from Ninja doubles up as another handy kitchen device and is great if you’re low on storage options.

Ninja Foodi 2-in-1 Hand Blender & Hand Mixer - View at Amazon 

Ninja have come to the rescue with this clever appliance. Transform the stick blender into an electric hand mixer and use for making cakes or whipping cream. It’s easy to clean and has a powerful 850W motor. 

If you’d prefer a classic tomato soup, we have a fantastic easy recipe. You might also like our carrot and butternut squash soup or this hearty chicken soup recipe is very popular and is perfect for using up leftover roast chicken.