Creamy tomato soup for the Soul | Easy tomato soup recipe | Fresh tomato soup recipe | Best tomato soup recipe
Made using fresh tomatoes, spices & lots of coriander(cilantro); this soup is the ‘tomato soup for the Soul’. Fresh tomatoes & the coriander make the soup refreshing; the spices provide warmth making it more comforting and the carrots add sweetness & bulk to create a satisfying meal. It is also naturally vegan & gluten-free, perfect for the whole family!
Tomato soup needs no introduction, it’s a classic comfort soup, loved by everyone, perfect for any day and any occasion. This tomato soup recipe is a keeper with simple flavors.
What’s so special about this tomato soup
Even though simple, there’s nothing plain about this tomato soup. This tomato soup –
- uses fresh ingredients, spices & herbs to add flavor
- is satisfying by using carrots to add bulk. Carrots also add sweetness to help balance the sourness of the tomatoes.
- is quick & easy to make
- is vegan & gluten-free
- is a comfort food & perfect for the whole family
Key ingredients for this tomato soup
Fresh tomatoes – This soup is made using fresh & ripe red tomatoes.
Carrots – provide bulk, and sweetness to help balance the sourness of the tomatoes.
Onion, ginger, garlic & spices add depth to the flavor. These ingredients also provide warmth to the body and help to make the soup more comforting.
Coriander (cilantro) also adds to the flavor and provides a freshness to the soup. Use both the stalks & the leaves, and if you have the roots, then add them too for extra flavor.
Salt & sugar – The amount of salt & sugar can vary depending on the tomatoes & the carrots. Salt helps to balance the sourness of the tomatoes. If the tomatoes you have are sweet, then you can reduce the amount of salt while cooking. You can always add more salt later on after tasting.
I add a little sugar to complete the flavor profile but if you have sweet tomatoes & carrots, then you can skip it. If needed, you can also add sugar later on after tasting the soup.
How to make tomato soup
Step-by-step instructions with pictures & video
To make this soup I use a pressure cooker (3.3-liter capacity), but it can easily be made in a pot, a slow cooker or an Instant pot.
- Prepare the ingredients
Since we are going to blend the soup later, it’s fine to roughly chop or slice the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into big chunks. Peel & chop the carrots. Peel & slice the garlic, ginger & onion. Chop the coriander/cilantro (stems & leaves).
- Cook
On a medium flame, heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, cloves and peppercorns. Sizzle for 8-10 seconds, taking care not to burn the seeds and spices (if needed, reduce the flame to low).
Next, keeping the flame on medium, add the ginger, garlic & onion, sauté for a minute to minute & a half, enough to remove the raw smell of the onion. The onion will turn light pink and you will be able to smell the sweetness of the onion.
Then, add the tomatoes, carrots, chopped coriander (cilantro), salt, sugar & measured water.
Close the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high flame till the first whistle (Some pressure cookers whistle while releasing steam. If you have one that doesn’t whistle, then cook as per the required settings).
After the first whistle, immediately reduce the flame to low and switch off the gas after approx. 3 minutes.
Let the steam release on its own (approx. 15 minutes) and then open the lid.
- Blend, strain & serve
Using an immersion/stick blender, blend the soup to a smooth puree. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool down before blending it.
Next, use a fine stainless steel mesh strainer to strain the soup in a big enough bowl/pot. Use the back of a spoon to help push all the tomato mixture through till you are left with just some pulp made of tomato skin & seeds. Discard the skin and the seeds left in the strainer.
Remember to scrape off & add the tomato mixture from the underside of the strainer.
Mix the soup and check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add hot water, little at a time, till it is as per your preference. If the soup is thin, then transfer to heat again and cook on low flame till it as per your desired consistency.
Taste and add salt if required. The amount of salt needed will vary depending on the sourness of the tomatoes. Adding salt helps to reduce the sourness of the tomatoes.
Serving suggestion
Garnish and serve hot. The soup is perfect on its own, but you can make it a more filling meal with either some croutons, a simple toast, garlic bread or a cheese toast!
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Creamy tomato soup for the Soul | Easy tomato soup recipe | Fresh tomato soup recipe | Best tomato soup recipe
Equipment
- Pressure cooker/Pot/Slow cooker/Instant Pot
- Blender
- Fine stainless steel mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 850 gms ripe & red tomatoes (approx. 5-6 large tomatoes), roughly chopped
- 150 gms carrots (approx. 1-2 medium carrots), roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp oil (any neutral vegetable oil)
- 15 black peppercorns
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cm ginger
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 large onion (approx. 150 gms)
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) (leaves & stalks), (refer to notes)
- 2 tsp salt or as per taste
- 1 tsp sugar or as per taste
- 1 ¼ cup water (310 ml)
Garnish
- 1-2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- freshly ground pepper
- cream or butter (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes into big chunks. Peel & chop the carrots. Peel & slice the garlic, ginger & onion. Chop the coriander (cilantro) (stems & leaves).It's ok to roughly cut all the vegetables as we will be blending the soup mixture later.
- On a medium flame, heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, cloves and peppercorns. Sizzle for 8-10 seconds, taking care not to burn the seeds and spices (if needed, reduce the flame to low).
- Next, keeping the flame on medium, add the ginger, garlic & onion, sauté for a minute to minute & a half, enough to remove the raw smell. The onion will turn light pink and you'll be able to smell the sweetness of the onion.
- Add the tomatoes, carrots, chopped coriander, salt, sugar & measured water.
- Close the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high flame till the first whistle (Some pressure cookers whistle while releasing steam. If you have one that doesn’t whistle, then cook as per the required settings).
- After the first whistle, immediately reduce the flame to low and switch off the gas after approx. 3 minutes.
- Let the steam release on its own (approx. 15 minutes) and then open the lid.
- Using an immersion/stick blender, blend the soup to a smooth puree. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool down before blending it.
- Next, use a fine stainless steel mesh strainer to strain the soup in a big enough bowl/pot. Use the back of a spoon to help push all the tomato mixture through till you are left with just some pulp made of tomato skin & seeds. Discard the skin and the seeds left in the strainer. Remember to scrape off & add the tomato mixture from the underside of the strainer.
- Mix the soup and check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add hot water, little at a time, till it is as per your preference. If the soup is thin, then transfer to heat again and cook on low flame till it as per your desired consistency.
- Taste and add salt if required. The amount of salt needed will vary depending on the sourness of the tomatoes. Adding salt helps to reduce the sourness of the tomatoes.
- Garnish and serve hot. The soup is perfect on its own but you can make it a more filling meal with either some croutons, a simple toast, garlic bread or a cheese toast!
Video
Notes
- 1 cup=250ml
- Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator. Does not include calories from cream or butter, if used for garnish.
- The recipe uses a pressure cooker (3.3 ltr capacity); however, it can be easily adapted & made in a pot, a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.
- Coriander– If you have the roots, then add them too for extra flavor!