Prep: 5 min // Cook: 25 min
This is a soup you must cook: a delicious and super comforting Mediterranean tomato soup that can be eaten cold in the summer or warm in autumn. With the flavour layering technique of my recipe, you will create complexity and fragrance that even the uttermost gourmands and fussy kids will love!
With the chillier autumn nights fast approaching and tomatoes nearing the end of their season (though late produce is still available), this soup was my favourite growing up in Greece, especially during the breezier nights of September. It was the last taste of fresh, summery tomatoes before transitioning to autumn vegetables and heart-warming winter soups, like this deliciously creamy pumpkin soup or my Peruvian quinoa pumpkin soup.
Although I enjoy it cold during the sizzling Greek summer when tomatoes are at their prime (imagine something like a Greek version of gazpacho), it is equally delightful when served warm.
For toppings, you can get creative. I've enjoyed it lots with humble coarse pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, or finely chopped chives, but I especially love it with fresh basil oil and/or spiced Dukkah for added complexity and an oriental twist. Dukkah is an Egyptian spice and nut blend that works well as a seasoning for soups and many other dishes. I'll show you how to make these fabulous toppings below the main recipe.
Tomato Soup Recipe
Equipment I use: Soup pot, roasting tin, hand blender and Magimix food processor (or get a Ninja Foodi blender, mixer and food processor all in one!)
Ingredients
500-600g tomatoes (preferably plum), cut in half
60g tomato paste
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
2 onions, cut in wedges
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 roasted red pepper - from a jar
3 garlic cloves (skin on)
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp sweet paprika
400ml vegetable stock
2 tsp balsamic vinegar (or Worcestershire Sauce or red wine)
10g fresh basil leaves (roughly 2 handfuls)
Method
For the perfect soup, we need to create layers of flavour. The first layer is the baked tomatoes and onions. Toss your halved tomatoes, onion wedges and garlic cloves (skins on) in a roasting tin with a drizzle of olive oil, 2 tsp oregano, salt and pepper and bake for a first 10 min at 180c.
While waiting, prepare your vegetable stock and the dukkah or basil oil (recipes down the end of the page). After the first 10 mins of baking, pour the balsamic vinegar (or Worcestershire sauce) onto the half-roasted tomatoes, mix and keep baking for another 10 min. When it's ready, let it cool down until you can handle the garlic cloves without burning.
Second layer of flavour: peel and roughly slice the garlic cloves, celery sticks and roasted red pepper. Heat a large soup pot with 2 tbsp olive oil and sweat the celery for 2 mins until is softened. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Add the tomato paste, the basil leaves, the roasted pepper and the paprika and stir for another 30 sec.
Third layer of flavour: pour the vegetable stock, the can of chopped tomatoes, a spoon of sugar or honey and the content of the roasting tin (with its juices) into the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
Blend with a hand blender until smooth and serve with warm bread, feta cheese and your desired topping.
Toppings
Basil Oil Recipe
Basil oil is made freshly out of two humble everyday ingredients:
Half cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Blanch your basil leaves in boiled water for no more than 20 seconds. Using a fine sieve, drain the water and immediately transfer it to a bowl with frozen water (water + ice cubes). This will prevent the leaves from further "cooking" and preserve the green colouring. Drain again and lay your leaves flat on a paper towel to drain (do not press them hard). Add the olive oil and the basil leaves in the blender and blend vigorously until all leaves are broken down into small pieces. Pass one more time through the sieve and you are ready to use.
Keep refrigerated and consume in a maximum of a couple of days.
Tip: try also infused olive oil with parsley or coriander using the same method
Dukkah Recipe
There are quite a few ingredients here so make a big batch. Give Dukkah to your friends (they will thank you when they try) and keep the rest in an airtight jar (it's perfect for up to a month). Use it on soups, salads, roasted vegetables, fish, eggs or on top of dips.
35g (5 tbsp) blanched hazelnuts
15g (2 tbsp) blanched almonds
25g (4 tbsp) pistachio kernels - optional
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
5-6 whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp sumac
pinch of salt
Heat your oven to 200c (fan) and bake the nuts for 5-6 min. In a small dry pan toast your spices (except paprika and sumac) for 2-3 min. Place the nuts, spices, paprika, sumac, salt, and blitz in a food processor to your preferred texture. Dukkah can be very fine (like sand) or coarse and textured with a crunch, which I quite like:
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