Cream of tomato soup recipe

It's not only Heinz who can make a perfect cream of tomato soup.

Learn how to make this mouth-watering tomato soup. Tomatoes are in season from June to October and if you've been growing your own, you'll likely be overrun. This delicious soup is a great way to use them up – and a portion works out at only 280 calories per serving - perfect if you're calorie counting. Serve with garnish, a good sprinkle of ground black pepper and some crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 25g butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1tsp paprika
• 1tbsp tomato purée
• 1kg tomatoes, chopped
• 2tsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 600ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 142ml tub double cream
• Basil leaves, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Fry the onion in the butter for 10 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the purée and continue for 2 mins more.
2. Add the tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf and chicken or vegetable stock. Bring the soup to the boil then simmer for 20 mins.
3. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth. Push through a sieve to remove any skin or seeds and return the liquid to the rinsed-out pan.
4. Stir in two-thirds of the double cream and reheat the soup gently. Once it's hot, serve your tomato soup immediately in warmed bowls with a swirl of the remaining cream and a garnish of basil leaves.

Top tips for making cream of tomato soup

Cream of tomato soup is much richer and thicker than a classic tomato soup. As you'd expect, ‘Cream of’ means cream is added the soup. Cream of tomato soup is still cooked the same way as traditional tomato soup by blending but the cream adds a thickness and richness to the taste and texture.

Soup can be stored in the freezer for up to four months and the easiest thing to do is to portion it out in individual freezer bags. When you're ready to cook, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot before serving.

Tomato soup is a great source of vitamin A and C and one portion of soup can provide around 20% of the daily recommended vitamin C.

If you’d like to make this dish healthier, swap the full fat cream for a lighter alternative.

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