American
Tomato Basil Soup
Canned tomatoes simmered with onion, garlic, broth, and basil, then blended smooth. A grilled cheese on the side is optional. The soup stands alone.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Canned tomatoes are more reliable than pale winter fresh ones.
- A blender makes it smooth. An immersion blender means one pot.
- Basil and a little butter, or olive oil, finish it.
- It is vegetarian if you use vegetable broth.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a pot over medium. Cook the onion until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- 2
Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Break the tomatoes up with a spoon.
- 3
Simmer 15 minutes.
- 4
Add the basil. Blend until smooth. Be careful with hot soup in a blender. Vent the lid and cover it with a towel.
- 5
Stir in the butter. Taste and add salt if it needs it.
- 6
Serve hot.
Pro tips
- Sugar balances acid. It should not taste sweet.
- If the soup is too thick, add a splash of broth. If it is thin, simmer it uncovered.
- A grilled cheese is a good partner. Butter bread, add cheddar, and grill it in a skillet while the soup blends.
Easy substitutions
- Butter
- Another tablespoon of olive oil.
- Fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, added with the tomatoes.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm on the stove, stirring, until hot. Add a splash of broth if it thickened.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop, One Pan
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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