Creamy Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto (Printable)
Velvety tomato soup swirled with fresh basil pesto. An easy Italian comfort classic ready in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Soup
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
→ Basil Pesto
10 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
11 - 1/4 cup pine nuts
12 - 1 garlic clove
13 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1/4 cup olive oil
15 - Pinch of salt
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent browning.
03 - Add canned tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
05 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches and blend until velvety.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and swirl 1-2 teaspoons of basil pesto into each serving.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between the silky smooth soup and the herby pesto creates little pockets of flavor that surprise your taste buds with each spoonful.
- Its deceptively simple process yields restaurant-quality results even when youre cooking in pajamas with bedhead.
02 -
- Adding a pinch of baking soda to the soup neutralizes tomato acidity without affecting flavor, something I discovered after a particularly acidic batch left everyone reaching for water.
- The soup deepens in flavor overnight, so making it a day ahead actually improves the taste profile beyond what youll get serving it immediately.
03 -
- Reserve a few tablespoons of the cream and drizzle it over the soup after adding the pesto for a professional-looking finish that will make your guests think you attended culinary school.
- The secret to perfectly smooth soup without a fancy blender is patience, working in small batches and passing it through a fine-mesh sieve if you want to get truly luxurious results.