It was kind of funny when I developed this soup. It was just starting to snow here in New York, and yet another storm was coming—the perfect night to cook tomatoes slowly on the stove and to watch them become soup. The funny part was that I used gorgeous heirloom tomatoes that were just-picked: fresh, ripe tomatoes picked here in the Northeast, the day before a snowstorm.
Of course these gorgeous tomatoes had been grown in a hydroponic greenhouse in upstate New York. Greenhouses are such a gift to produce-lovers in northern climates!
You could certainly use canned tomatoes for this recipe. It will be just as good, thanks to the lovely mix of spices in the soup. The spice profile—with paprika, red pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar—is spicy, peppery and sweet. Even more impactful is the cumin-basil oil (and, yes, the basil had been grown hydroponically, as well). It adds an earthiness to the spicy soup. It felt quite fortuitous that I could develop this recipe with such abundant produce on a snowy night.
The necessary tools for this recipe are a pot, blender and small bowl in which to mix the basil oil. Enjoy, and leave a comment below if you try it!
A warming and spicy tomato soup with an earthy cumin-basil oil to finish.
20 Minutes
2 Hours 40 Minutes
3 Hours
Step 1
Add olive oil to a pot on medium heat. Once it shimmers, add onion. Stir onion frequently for 3-4 minutes. When the onion is translucent and fragrant, add the 4 sliced cloves of garlic, and stir frequently for 2 minutes to prevent burning. Add tomatoes and stir. Add paprika and red pepper flakes and ensure tomatoes are covered in spices.
Step 2
Turn heat to high and add balsamic vinegar. Allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds. Then add water and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower heat to a simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from heat, and carefully add soup to a heatproof blender and blend on high until smooth. Allow the soup to cool, and then refrigerate it for 2 hours. This will allow the flavors to marry nicely.
Step 3
Meanwhile, make the cumin-basil oil. Mix the ingredients in a blender, mini food processor or by hand in a bowl. Leave a bit chunky. To serve, reheat the soup, and add cumin basil oil on top to finish.
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