Leena Watts
If you're looking for a tasty, healthy, and comforting meal, tomato soup is a great option. It's simple to make, and the ingredients are easy to source. Plus, it can be tailored to your preferences and dietary needs. For a diet-friendly version, you can skip the heavy cream and use vegetable broth and blended white beans to achieve a creamy texture. This way, you get the richness without the extra fat and calories. Tomatoes are also extremely nutritious, packed with lycopene, which has potential health benefits. So, whether you're watching your weight or simply wanting a comforting meal, a bowl of homemade tomato soup is a delicious choice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Tomatoes, canned tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, canned whole peeled tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, coconut milk, heavy cream, butter, olive oil, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, onion, carrots, garlic, sweet potato, bouillon powder, stock cubes, bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin |
| Equipment | Blender, hand blender, soup maker, pot, pan, bowl, strainer |
| Steps | Wash and cut tomatoes, sauté vegetables, add remaining ingredients and simmer, blend soup, season to taste, serve |
| Health Benefits | Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, which may protect against cardiovascular disease and certain cancers |
| Diet Tips | Skip the heavy cream and use vegetable broth and white beans for thickness and creaminess |
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What You'll Learn
- Preparing the ingredients: wash and quarter tomatoes, removing hard cores
- Sautéing: melt butter, add oil, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper
- Simmering: add broth, tomatoes, water, coconut milk, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
- Blending: scoop out 4 cups of soup, blend the rest, then combine
- Serving: season to taste, add a swirl of olive oil, black pepper, and basil
Preparing the ingredients: wash and quarter tomatoes, removing hard cores
Preparing the ingredients is the first step to making a delicious and healthy tomato soup. Start by selecting ripe, juicy tomatoes, which are best when in season around September. You'll need 1-1.25 kg or 2-2.5 lb of tomatoes, so grab a bunch!
Once you have your tomatoes, give them a good wash to remove any dirt or residue. If your tomatoes are still on their vines, remove them and get rid of the green stalky bits. If the stalks don't come off easily, don't worry, you can twist or pull them off after quartering the tomatoes.
Now, take each tomato and cut it into quarters. This will expose any hard cores, which you'll want to slice off and discard. These hard cores won't soften during cooking, so it's important to remove them now to ensure your soup has a smooth and creamy texture at the end.
After quartering and removing the cores, you'll be left with fresh, juicy tomato quarters ready for the next steps of your soup-making journey!
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Sautéing: melt butter, add oil, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper
To make a diet tomato soup, you'll start by sautéing the vegetables. First, melt some butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add olive oil, onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they soften. This should take around 8 minutes.
You can also add some pepper to taste at this stage. Pepper will add an earthy, spicy kick to your soup. You can also add roasted garlic to enhance the savoury notes in your soup.
If you want to make your soup extra flavourful, you can add some cinnamon for an exotic element that pairs well with the sweetness of the tomatoes. You can also add some dried thyme for a warm, earthy flavour.
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Simmering: add broth, tomatoes, water, coconut milk, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
Now it's time to add the broth, tomatoes, water, coconut milk, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to your pot and simmer. If you're using canned tomatoes, make sure to add the juices as well. This is also the time to add your secret ingredient: white beans. They add thickness and a delicious richness that comes with fill-you-up fibre and plant protein. If you want to add some extra vegetables, you can also throw in some carrots and let them simmer until they're tender (around 20-25 minutes).
If you're using fresh tomatoes, you'll need to prepare them first. Wash the tomatoes, cut each one into quarters, and slice off any hard cores. You can also roast them with onions, garlic, and herbs before blending and straining them. This will give your soup a deeper flavour.
If you want to make your own vegetable broth, simply melt some butter in a separate pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil, onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Then, add your broth to the pot with the other ingredients.
Now, simply let your soup simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. The tomatoes will break down and become very soft, and the flavours will meld together. If you're using sweet potatoes, these should be soft by the time your soup is ready.
Finally, it's time to blend. You can use either an immersion blender or a regular blender for this step. If using a regular blender, be sure to hold a dish towel over the lid and avoid covering it tightly to allow air to escape. Blending will give your soup a smooth and creamy texture. If you prefer your soup to be chunkier, you can set some aside before blending and then mix it back in afterward.
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Blending: scoop out 4 cups of soup, blend the rest, then combine
To make a diet tomato soup, you'll need to blend the soup to get a creamy texture. Here's how to do it:
First, scoop out 4 cups of soup and set it aside. You can use a ladle to scoop out the soup and place it in a separate bowl. This step ensures that your blended soup will have some texture and chunkiness to it.
Next, transfer the remaining soup in the pot to a blender. You can use a traditional upright blender or an immersion blender for this step. If you're using an immersion blender, simply keep it in the pot and blend the soup until smooth. If you're using an upright blender, be careful when blending hot liquids, as the steam can build up and cause the lid to pop off. It's a good idea to hold a dish towel over the lid of the blender to allow the steam to escape. Blend the soup until it reaches your desired level of smoothness.
Once you're happy with the consistency of the blended soup, return it to the pot. Now, pour the 4 cups of soup that you set aside back into the blended soup. Stir everything together to combine the smooth and chunky parts of the soup.
At this point, you can taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or any other spices you like to suit your preference.
By blending only part of the soup and combining it with the unblended portion, you create a creamy texture while maintaining some chunkiness, resulting in a heartier and more satisfying diet tomato soup.
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Serving: season to taste, add a swirl of olive oil, black pepper, and basil
When you're ready to serve your diet tomato soup, ladle it into bowls. You can add a swirl of olive oil, a drizzle of coconut milk or heavy cream, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. You can also add fresh basil leaves for garnish. If you want to add a bit of sweetness to your soup, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
If you're serving your soup with bread, you can make fresh French bread or Irish soda bread. For a more filling meal, you can also serve your soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.
If you want to chill your soup and serve it cold, you can swirl in some cream. You can also add a pinch or two of salt to taste, and more pepper if you like. If you want a deeper red colour, you can add a teaspoon of tomato puree.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need canned tomatoes, white beans, vegetable broth, salt, basil, parmesan, butter, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
First, add the canned tomatoes (with the juices), white beans, vegetable broth, and a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Next, add the basil, parmesan, butter, and balsamic vinegar. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until very smooth. Finally, season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
If you are using a blender, hold a dish towel over the lid and make sure not to cover it tightly to allow air to escape from the top. You can also substitute coconut milk for heavy cream to make the soup dairy-free.
You can add vegetables such as onion, carrots, garlic, and sweet potato. You can also add spices such as cinnamon, bay leaf, and black pepper.
