Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto Swirl (Print Version)

A silky tomato soup finished with a vibrant swirl of fresh basil pesto. Comforting, flavorful, and 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 (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

→ Basil Pesto

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
12 - ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
13 - 1 small garlic clove
14 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
16 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and comes together in under an hour, perfect for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays.
  • The basil pesto adds a fresh, aromatic twist that makes every spoonful feel special and restaurant-worthy.
  • It's endlessly adaptable, you can make it vegan, add spice, or pair it with whatever bread you have on hand.
02 -
  • Always add the cream after blending and off high heat, or it can curdle and ruin the silky texture you worked so hard for.
  • Don't skip the sugar, even if it feels strange, it cuts the acidity and makes the tomatoes taste more like themselves.
  • Make the pesto just before serving if you can, it stays bright green and tastes fresher than if it sits too long.
03 -
  • If your tomatoes taste too acidic even after adding sugar, stir in a tiny pinch of baking soda, it neutralizes the acid without changing the flavor.
  • Blend the soup in short bursts and let steam escape, hot liquids expand quickly and can cause messy explosions if you're not careful.
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop out a cube whenever you need a quick flavor boost for pasta, sandwiches, or scrambled eggs.
Go Back