As we move deeper into autumn, one of the most delicious meals to revisit is tomato soup.
Tangy and hearty, perfect with a splash of cream or served with a toastie, tomato soup is the season’s MVP.
A shop-bought tin will do the trick, but you can’t beat homemade soup.
Mary Berry has got the classics down and her version, one she shares is one of her favourite family recipes, is dead simple.
Cooked in just 10 minutes, you won’t be asked to skin a tomato or even chop an onion. The soup is ready in less than half an hour, so it’s an ideal midweek meal to have in your pocket.
Mary Berry’s tomato soup recipe
This recipe, taken from her book Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking, serves six to eight people.
Ingredients
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 500ml/18fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3–4 tsp pesto, to serve
Method
Set a large, deep pan over a medium heat and add one tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds, or until it just starts to colour.
Add the sun-dried and tinned tomatoes, stock and sugar and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender, blend the soup in the pan. Stir in the milk and cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper before heating through on the hob.
Serve hot with ½ teaspoon pesto swirled on the top of each bowl of soup.
