Really Tomatoey Basilly Soup [VG/V/DF/GF]
This is so simple that I feel cheeky calling it a recipe, but it’s one for all those folks that say to me, ‘Oh I’d love to make soup but I don’t know where to start.’ well, start here and see where it takes you. There’s even some chopping of vegetables involved, so brace yourselves. Tinned soup contains among other things modified maize starch, whey powder, ascorbic acid and other things I’m not entirely sure what they are – so make my own and get something good inside you.
Serves 2
1 onion
1 large carrot
1 potato
1 vegetable stock cube, dissolved in 400ml boiling water
1 x 400g carton or tin chopped tomatoes
a generous handful of fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
Peel and slice the onion, and wash and chop the carrot and potato into small pieces. (I make mine 0.5cm thick or less so they cook faster and blend more easily. I also leave the skins on for all the extra goodness.)
Put all the vegetables into a saucepan and pour in the stock to cover. Tip the chopped tomatoes over the top, add the basil and bring to an enthusiastic boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to its own souper-duper devices for approximately 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Test by poking a fork into one of them – if it goes through easily, then they’re done.
Blend in a food processor until smooth, and serve hot.
Tip: This will keep in the fridge for about 3 days – but use your discretion, I keep my fridge extra cold so food lasts longer. Cool and freeze in an airtight container for approximately 3 months.
‘Really Tomatoey Basilly Soup’ recipe from A Girl Called Jack by Jack Monroe.
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This looks delicious and one I’ll definitely be trying!
Lovely! Just made this and this kids declared it as good as from a tin. I strained the soup through a fine metal sieve with a ladle.
Mm I had tomato soup from a tin for once for my lunch and can safely declare that I like mine much better! Glad you liked it too 🙂
Hi Miss Monroe,
Where you said to leave the vegie skins on for more goodness, I would suggest that you skin the carrots because pesticides and chemical fertilisers can be present in the skins, and these are not really what you want your children eating. I believe that potato skins are safe, because potatoes usually grow deaper in the ground, and they are certainly nutritious.
Also, how many garlic cloves should I use? It is not mentioned in the ingredients list.
I read about you and your site on the online Telegraph today, and I think what you have been doing is fantastic. Congratulations on your new job, and I wish you all the very best with it. Someone with your drive and outlook on life will go far.
Love and best wishes to you and your little boy,
Liam Hillman
Stockton-on-Tees
Hi jack just wanted to say huge thanks I tried this recipe today was so quick and easy used 1 clove garlic, 4 fresh basil leaves, I did not add potato but few baby carrots and used passatta instead chopped tomatoes as 29p in Lidls/aldis both near me thinker consistancy and it was lovely. As I was doing mainly for kids dident add anything else but if was just for me would loved to have added chili make it spicy so to make mine better i added dried chilli sprinkles and black pepper. For touch of luxury toasted 2 slices value bread cut crusts off and into squares to make croutons and small sprinkling cheese using my ikea hand grater which grates really small and uses less cheese.Cant wait to try your other lovely meal ideas think next time i cook in batches and freeze.
This looks delicious, I’m going to be making this soon, probably at the weekend. I’ve got some reduced down balsamic drizzle in my cupboard which I got from Approved Foods ages ago and has lasted forever, I normally drizzle it over home made pizzas, but I think it would go really well in the tomato soup too 🙂
Also, I love your heart shaped bowls!
Caroline, Southampton
Delish. I too leave the skin on most vegies as the nutrients are closer to the skin so you get the full benefits of vitiamins. Just give them a good scrub. Tomatoes are love apples and my favourite soup with a cheese sandwich for dunking. Yuuuummm.
Hey Jack,
Bare cupboards and fridge today, so I felt like I needed to use up just what I had left which was (luckily) a tin of tomatoes at back of cupboard, an aging carrot in fridge along with an aging spud. No fresh basil, but had dried in a jar, spare onion, garlic and stock cube. This soup came out awesome, but think I needed to use more stock as a bit thick once I blitzed it (potato was quite large mind, so probably could be that). Also probably fresh basil would be better than dried. I used a tbsp of it, and despite tasting of basil, could either have done with another tbsp or fresh. Quite cuffed with myself in using what was left in my cupboards and fridge! You have talent!
I think i may attempt this tonight along with your easy peasy soda bread 🙂
I’ve made some for tomorrows lunch. It tasted as though it had too much potato so I added a squirt of tomato puree. I think next time I will replace the potato with red lentils.
I just made this and it was awesome! I swapped the potato for a sweet potato and also added some green lentils for an extra protein punch. Super easy to make, and so tasty I’ll be making it for the kids next time too!