Tomato Basil Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make tomato basil soup thicker? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

The standard direction for a can of condensed Tomato Soup is to put the condensed soup in a saucepan, fill the can with water, add the water to the pan, stir, and heat just to the point of simmer. BUT. It's MUCH better with Milk, which makes it a creamy tomato soup, a bit more like a tomato bisque.

It uses fresh tomatoes and fresh basil — both in high supply at this time of year — and has just 3 additional ingredients (yellow onion, garlic, and olive oil). It's also easy as it gets to make, and fast; it is summertime, after all. When we count ingredients, we don't usually count salt, pepper, or cooking oil.

Whisking beurre manié (butter-flour paste) into simmering soup is the best way to thicken an otherwise too-watery soup. Add bits of the paste gradually and simmer to cook out any raw flour taste. The broth will be velvety smooth, rich, and thick.

Adding a bit of baking soda makes the tomatoes taste sweeter by canceling out the sourness. ⁠ Tomatoes are naturally quite acidic but food processing companies often add extra citric acid to canned tomatoes to get the right pH (acid level) for food safety in canning. ⁠

Olive oil and butter – They create the soup's rich base. To make this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use additional olive oil instead of the butter. Carrots, onion, and garlic – These aromatic veggies give the soup savory depth of flavor. Balsamic vinegar – It adds sweetness and tang.

Swirl some red wine vinegar into the soup and serve with a stack of mozzarella and fresh basil leaves on a toasted baguette. Add a drizzle of pesto (homemade or store bought) and finish with toasted pine nuts and croutons. Add a teaspoon or two of Thai red curry paste and some cooked rice, then top with cooked shrimp.

If the soup tastes bland at all, a bit more salt will do the trick, that doesn't just apply to this tomato soup recipe but just about anything you'll ever find yourself cooking.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

What makes tomato soup thicker? ›

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Tomatoes are very acidic and milk or cream is added to them, curdling can occur. Curdling will be more likely to happen when the ratio of acid to cream increases or when mixing a cold and hot mixture. To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup.

When cooked for too long, herbs such as sage, oregano, and basil can release an overly bitter flavor, so it's best to incorporate them when the tomato sauce is almost done cooking.

Tomato Basil Soup Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the soup with homemade focaccia or good crusty bread for lunch, or pair it with a sandwich, salad, or pasta for a heartier meal. Most often, Jack and I eat it with grilled cheese sandwiches, but it'd be great with a Caprese sandwich or avocado toast as well.

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.

Mix a small amount of cornstarch or flour with cold water to create a slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the hot soup and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. This method is useful for adjusting thickness without altering the flavor significantly.