Here’s a fall soup that I made with fresh ripe tomatoes and tomato pulp. It’s the soup that is commonly known as “Cream of Tomato Soup“, except this one isn’t from a Campbell’s can (if you remember) and it isn’t made with dairy cream.

For a velvety-creamy texture and subtle nuttiness, I used raw cashews. I also added some nutritional yeast, which lends a gentle cheesy flavour.

A touch of miso and tomato paste gives it a delicate umami taste. As for the sweetness, I enhanced the natural sweetness of the tomatoes with some carrots.

This soup is simple to make but what you get is a symphony of fall flavours. To ensure creaminess, use a stand up blender and not a hand-held or stick blender.

The lycopene in tomato soup made from real, ripe tomatoes and pulp is a remarkable health benefit that adds to the soup’s enticing flavour. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant compound, belonging to the carotenoid family, which gives tomatoes their vibrant red color.

When tomatoes are cooked or processed, as is the case in making tomato soup, the heat breaks down the cell walls of the tomatoes, making lycopene more bioavailable and easier for the body to absorb. This means that a tomato-based soup, like this one, can be an excellent source of lycopene.

Consuming lycopene-rich foods like tomato soup has been associated with various health benefits, including:

1. Antioxidant Properties: Lycopene helps neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and potential damage to cells.
2. Heart Health: Studies suggest that diets rich in lycopene may be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
3. Cancer Prevention: Some research has shown that lycopene may be protective against certain types of cancer, particularly prostate cancer.
4. Skin Health: Lycopene may contribute to healthier skin by protecting against UV damage and improving skin texture.
5. Eye Health: It may also play a role in reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
6. Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Lycopene has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help in reducing inflammation in the body.

The recipe is below.

Cream of tomato soup

Serves 4+

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons (tbsp) Olive oil (for sautéing)
• 2 medium-size onions, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large or 2 smaller carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) dry oregano + several fresh basil leaves
• ¹/₂ tsp salt
• 500 grams ripe cherry tomatoes (or other ripe tomatoes, chopped)
• One 500 gram container of tomato pulp (no sugar or additives added)
• 2-3 cups heated vegetable stock/ broth, homemade or a good quality store-bought *see note
• 1 tsp of each:  miso paste & tomato paste (can sub. miso with soy sauce)
• ¹/₄ cup raw cashews
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (Levure Maltée)
• Ground pepper to taste

• note: if you want a more fluid soup, add more broth/stock at the end, after blending the soup. I used homemade broth/stock that I had in my freezer. I had made the broth with leeks, onion, carrot and celeriac. You can read what I do when making my own vegetable stock/broth here. For better texture & flavour, I recommend to heat up the stock/broth, on stove top or in microwave, prior to adding it to the soup.

PROCEDURE

1. On stove top heat up the olive oil on medium-high. When the oil is ready, reduce heat and add the onions and garlic.Sauté them in the oil until soft, for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, oregano, basil leaves and salt and mix with the onions and garlic. Sauté for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the cherry tomatoes and mix well. Cover and allow to cook on medium for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and cracked. Then mash the tomatoes with a fork or potato masher.

4. Add the tomato pulp. Add the heated vegetable stock/broth (start with 2 cups) and mix.  Add the miso and tomato paste and mix again.

5. Add and stir in the raw cashews and nutritional yeast flakes. Adjust the heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil and cover. Let this cook for 20 minutes, mixing from time to time. 

6. When the cashews are soft and puffy (test one to see) transfer the soup into a high speed stand-up blender. Blend on high until super creamy and there are no traces of cashew left. For a creamy soup, I do not recommend using a hand-held or a stick blender in this recipe.

7. Pour the blended soup back into the pot and adjust by adding a bit more broth / stock if you prefer it more fluid (option).

8. Serve into bowls. Can top with toasted chopped nuts, seeds, hot pepper flakes, ground pepper and/or herbs of choice. Serve with crusty toasted bread or wholesome crackers.

Enjoy!