Pesto Tomato Soup

Chef notes

Nothing says “simple dinner” like a one-pot soup that can be made almost entirely of pantry staples. Ingredients such as canned tomatoes, chicken stock, onions, garlic and red pepper flakes are simple on their own, but they deliver that classic tomato soup flavor when combined. This recipe is also super adaptable —  it’s light enough to be served on its own as a bowl of soup, but also thick and luscious enough to use as marinara sauce on a pizza. 

Like any good soup, start by sautéing chopped onion and fresh garlic in a glug of olive oil until just softened. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a small amount of heat to the mixture. Then comes the heavy hitters — crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and sun-dried tomato pesto. The pesto may be one of the only ingredients you don’t already have stored in your kitchen’s pantry, but it adds a punch of flavor. It gives this soup an even more concentrated tomato flavor, but is also delicious tossed with pasta or scrambled eggs. It also helps thicken the soup without adding any starch or heavy cream. 

Fresh basil is an absolute must-have when it comes to finishing the soup. Adding it fresh at the end of the cooking process helps it to retain its bright color and makes all of the flavors pop. Serve this creamy tomato soup with a drizzle of good olive oil and buttery grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. 

Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.