Easy Tomato Soup

A Healthy, Versatile Recipe For a Quick Weekday Meal

Oct 7, 2008 Paola Westbeek

This simple tomato soup is easy to make and even easier to eat!

In need of a good meal after a hard day at work but absolutely no desire to spend hours in the kitchen? Here’s the solution- a satisfying tomato soup with an irresistibly sweet and tangy taste. After a little chopping and blitzing you’ll be cozying up to a delicious bowl of this hearty soup. The soup freezes well, so make sure to stock some in your freezer for quick lunches and nutritious snacks.

An added bonus is the recipe's versatility. Feel free to play around with some of the suggestions given here or get creative and try your own yummy variations. You'll never have to eat the same soup twice!

Easy Tomato Soup

Serves 6

1 tbsp mild olive oil
2 medium red onions
3 cloves of garlic
pinch of red chilli flakes
2 kg good quality tomatoes (preferably organic)
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano
850 ml good quality vegetable broth
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

For the garnish:

500 g sweet cherry tomatoes
250 g mozzarella
fresh basil, to serve

Heat the oil in a heavy- bottomed pan.
Chop the onions and the garlic very finely and add to the oil along with the chilli flakes. Sauté gently over a low heat for five minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes into medium- sized chunks.
Turn up the heat and add the tomatoes, the thyme and the oregano to the pan. Stir well and continue to cook for about two minutes.
Pour the vegetable broth into the pan and allow the soup to quickly come to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the sugar and simmer gently for half an hour.
Puree the soup in batches and return to the pan. Make sure that the soup is not too thin. It should remain a little chunky.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Continue to cook for a final ten minutes.
To make the garnish, chop the cherry tomatoes and the mozzarella.
Serve the soup in deep bowls and garnish each serving with some of the cherry tomatoes, the mozzarella and a little basil.

Tips and variations:

The soup is wonderful served with a loaf of focaccia or warm ciabatta rolls.
Try finely chopped black olives or roasted pine nuts as a garnish. You can also replace the mozzarella with feta.
For a bulkier meal, add a can of chickpeas during the last ten minutes of cooking time.
Want to add a little spice and a bit of bite? Instead of the cheese, sauté sliced chorizo and add to the soup just before serving.

The copyright of the article Easy Tomato Soup in Healthy Cooking is owned by Paola Westbeek. Permission to republish Easy Tomato Soup in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.