Tomato soup is such a classic and in my opinion, it never gets old. I grew up on cream of tomato soup in a tin, the old fashioned kind we use to add a little milk to as we heated it up on the stove and I still won’t turn my nose up at a tin of the same with it’s deliciously vibrant red hue and comforting, creamy warmth. As good as that is, homemade soup is always on another level and it might surprise you that it’s not terribly difficult or time-consuming to make a really great version. This is My Favourite Cream of Tomato Soup and it’s such a winner!
There are a couple of great advantages to this soup recipe. Firstly, I use passata instead of fresh tomatoes and it saves a lot of time and effort. I have lots of respect for those who make this kind of soup completely from scratch, but it’s not me. This recipe is easy, quick and so flavourful. I’ve never noticed it lacking in anyway from a few convenient shortcuts. Also – this is a great way to get rid of some stale bread. There’s no need to use fresh – it’s actually better for croutons when it’s stale. I love using leftover sourdough for this, but anything sturdy and crusty will work from a country loaf to a leftover chunk of baguette. Finally, this soup makes incredible leftovers so it’s perfect for batch cooking and if you want you can absolutely skip the croutons all together when reheating or simply toast some bread to go with it and it won’t suffer.
If you don’t have a blender or a stick blender, a food processor will likely do the job, but let me just say that I think a stick blender is one of the best investments I’ve ever made. Some come with attachments like a whisk and extras like a pitcher, so really it takes up a lot less space and does the same thing as a blender and then some in a much more portable way. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 30g butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 700g passata or 2x 400g tins of crushed tomatoes
- Salt & pepper
- 125ml Double Cream
- Bite-sized cubes of sturdy bread like sourdough (as many as you like)
- Olive oil for frying croutons
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Method
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large lidded pot and cook the onions, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent. They will start to colour some, but that’s ok – just try to keep them from burning.
- Pour in the passata along with a little water to catch the dregs. Season with salt & pepper and stir. Bring this mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If at any time it starts to catch too much, add a little water.
- While the soup is simmering you can make the croutons. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the cubes of bread until they’re golden on all sides. You might need to do this in batches if you’re making quite a lot of them. Once crispy & golden to your liking, remove the croutons to a plate and set aside to cool down.
- When the soup has finished simmering, add 500ml of water and blend it either in a blender or with a stick blender. Be careful with the hot soup if you’re transferring it to a blender or perhaps let it cool for a while first if you can.
- Return the soup to the burner on high heat and bring to the boil. Once it’s boiling, stir in the double cream, reduce the heat to medium and allow it to heat up, stirring regularly.
- Once the soup is heated through, it’s ready to go. Serve piping hot, ladled into bowls and sprinkled with the croutons, Parmesan cheese and a crack of fresh black pepper.
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