Recipes

Simple Chunky Tomato Soup

Get in the thick of it with this zesty tomato soup that packs plenty of extra bite

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr / feeb

If this tomato soup looks a little too chunky, you can purée for a smoother texture

This hearty tomato soup will keep you satisfied on a chilly day, and the addition of gin will have you feeling extra toasty

Making your own tomato soup doesn’t have to be labour intensive. My friend Susan Meister, owner of Fabulous Foods Catering, is my daughter Christina’s godmother. Susan developed this recipe for Christina.

You can whip it up in no time for a midweek or impromptu weekend dinner. To make this into a grown-up dinner-party soup, add ½ cup gin. Voilà!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 (28 fl. oz.) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
  • Sea salt
  • Cilantro
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Glaze (recipe below)

Balsamic Glaze:

  • 2 cups balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. corn syrup

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
  2. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened (don’t let them brown).
  3. Add the tomatoes and break them up with the back of a wooden spoon. There will still be some chunky pieces of tomato, but this adds character to the soup. (If you prefer a smoother texture, you can purée the soup at the end, after simmering.)
  4. Pour in the chicken stock and let the soup simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  5. Add the basil and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Drizzle each serving with Balsamic Glaze. (To prepare the glaze, rapidly boil the balsamic vinegar in a stainless-steel pot, then reduce the heat to medium and let boil until reduced to a thick syrupy consistency. Add the corn syrup and let cool. Makes a scant cup.)
  6. Soup recipe serves 4.

Listen to Caren McSherry Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. on CKNW 98.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.