Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto Swirl (Printable)

Velvety tomato soup crowned with fresh basil pesto. A classic Italian-inspired comfort bowl ready in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2.2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped or 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

→ Basil Pesto

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
12 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
13 - 1 small garlic clove
14 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 - Pinch of salt

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth, add sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - In a food processor, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. Pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
06 - Once soup is cooked, blend until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches with a countertop blender.
07 - Stir in cream. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Warm through but do not boil.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a swirl of basil pesto. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pesto transforms familiar tomato soup into something exciting and layered without any extra work.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you simmered it all afternoon.
  • You can make it with pantry canned tomatoes or fresh ones depending on the season.
  • The vibrant green swirl makes it look impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday.
02 -
  • Blend hot soup carefully, always remove the center cap of the blender lid and cover it with a towel to let steam escape or it can explode.
  • Don't skip the sugar, even if it sounds strange, it balances the acidity and makes the tomatoes taste more like themselves.
  • Make the pesto while the soup simmers so everything is ready at the same time and you're not scrambling at the end.
  • If your pesto is too thick, add a splash more olive oil until it drizzles easily off a spoon.
03 -
  • Roast the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil before adding them to the pot for a deeper, sweeter flavor.
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half in ice cube trays so you always have some on hand.
  • If the soup tastes too acidic even after adding sugar, stir in a tiny pinch of baking soda to neutralize it.
  • Use day old bread to make croutons by tossing cubes with olive oil and baking until crispy, they're perfect for topping the soup.
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