Tomato Soup With Basil Oil

I love soups and tomato soup for me is a frequent choice. Smooth as satin, rich, savory yet one of the easiest recipes, this tomato soup is a winner – it has served me well when I’m under the weather or when overripe tomatoes have been sitting in the fridge and need to be rescued. So flavorful you won’t feel like stocking up on those ready-to-cook soup-mix packets full of artificial flavorings, preservatives and tons of sodium.

While the soup recipe is mine (tried and tested through the years), the addition of basil oil is something that Jamie Oliver planted in my head from few years ago. Once you’ve drizzled a few drops of basil oil on a hot bowl of tomato soup, you never will go back to your old ways of gulping down your soup mindlessly, I guarantee you 😉. I make some extra basil oil to last me a few days – I love how it livens up salads and pastas.

Some argue that soups are nutritionally insufficient – while this mainly depends on the type of soup chosen and ingredients used in the preparation, you could employ certain simple measures to improve the nutritional value. Do not sieve/ strain the soup post blending to keep the fiber intact – I’m yet to meet a person who’d hand back a bowl of delicious soup with, “but hey! This hasn’t been strained!”. Fancy restaurants might have those stringent goals regarding texture and appearance, but when you’re making a batch of this tangy goodness – please, I beg you! – don’t bother straining it. That’s some good fiber there.

Wish to bring the protein quotient up by a notch? Grate some parmesan cheese or add yummy mozzarella chunks. I sometimes also crack in an egg just as the soup is coming to a boil.

I’m recovering from a nasty bout of flu, and soups are the order of the day, as they’re comforting. Of course, tomato soup is the best choice – the tangy-sweet flavors serve to pep me up just enough to get through the day without much moping. You can also view my other favorite that’s full of nutrition too, namely Vegetable Lentil Stew in Coconut Milk.

RECIPE: TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL OIL

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes, crushed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 potato, cubed
• 6-7 garlic pods, minced
• ½ tablespoon ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter (optional)
• Salt, to taste

FOR BASIL OIL

• Handful fresh basil leaves, washed
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

For basil oil, place the washed basil leaves in a mortar and grind to a paste. Adding some salt speeds the process. Transfer the paste into a glass bottle. Add extra virgin olive oil and shake well

Heat oil in a deep saucepan/ crockpot/ pressure cooker and fry garlic, onions, grated ginger and potato cubes.

Once the raw smell disappears add crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Add dried herbs and salt and 4-5 cups of water.

If cooking in a pressure cooker pan, replace the lid and allow 3 whistles to pass. Else cover the pan with a lid and allow to simmer until the tomatoes mix well. Turn the flame off and allow to cool.

Blend until uniform texture is achieved. Transfer to the saucepan again and allow the soup to simmer.

Serve in bowls and drizzle the basil oil. Pair with croutons if you like.

Devour while piping hot!

I’d love to hear how this recipe turned out for you, if you tried it. Do post a pic on Instagram and tag #fitfoodiediary in the picture!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (without addition of cheese/ eggs) (per serving)*

Energy	86 calories
Protein	2 g
Fat	4 g
Carbohydrates	10 g
Of which, Fiber	4 g

*Recipe is for 4 servings; all values in grams.