A simple, satisfying Calabrian tomato soup is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite grilled cheese sandwich.
No-fuss, no-muss Calabrian tomato soup
Relying on the heat from Calabrian chili peppers, lots of fresh basil, and plenty of onion and garlic, this Calabrian tomato soup recipe brings lots of flavor with just a few ingredients. It perfectly accompanies your favorite grilled cheese or turkey melt sandwich.
How to make tomato soup
This recipe is the pinnacle of simplicity. You need just a few ingredients, which simmer on the stove for a bit before blending into a gorgeous soup perfect for warm toast or a rich grilled cheese sandwich.
What you need
- Tomatoes: I use a can of whole peeled tomatoes, but crushed or diced will work here. You can also use about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes.
- Calabrian chili peppers: I use fiery Calabrian chilies to add heat to this soup. If you don’t have chili peppers, you can use crushed red pepper to taste.
- Onions and garlic: I use a whole onion and plenty of garlic for this soup.
- Fresh basil: I fry fresh basil in hot oil to infuse the soup with an irresistible herby flavor.
- Vegan honey: I wanted to keep this recipe vegan, so I used vegan honey, but you can use traditional honey or brown sugar instead. The honey adds a nice sweetness that complements the tomatoes’ acidity and the chili peppers’ heat.
- Olive oil: I recommend finishing the soup with extra virgin olive oil. It gives a good flavor and adds a little body to the soup.
How to make it
- Step 1: It starts with the aromatics. Fry the onion until it softens. Add the crushed garlic and chili peppers and cook until fragrant. Finish by sizzling the fresh basil in the hot oil.
- Step 2: Add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. You can shorten this to 30 minutes, but a longer simmer produces a more robust flavor.
- Step 3: Blend the soup. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or traditional blender. Finish with vegan honey and more salt and pepper. At this point, I like the rapid-simmer the soup uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. This will reduce the tomato soup and intensify the flavors. After it simmers, add a bit of extra virgin olive oil to the soup.
- Step 4: Serve it up! Ladle the soup into bowls. Finish with fresh basil, olive oil, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve it alongside your favorite cheesy sandwich for a comforting, easy dinner.
One Taster suggested serving it with cooked tortellini, which you can stir into the tomato soup right before serving. Delicious!
Community-tested and community-approved. Here’s what Tasters are saying about this recipe.
“There wasn’t anything difficult about this soup.
Using canned tomatoes and a few other ingredients made it simple, but I think to make this dish a little heartier, I would add cheese tortellini next time and maybe a splash or two of heavy cream.”
–Macie S., Independent Recipe Tester
To join my recipe-testing program, sign up here.
Calabrian Tomato Soup
A simple, satisfying Calabrian tomato soup is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite grilled cheese sandwich.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 92kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and quartered)
- 1 head of garlic (cloves peeled and crushed)
- 4-6 Calabrian chili peppers from a jar (stems removed; see Note 1)
- 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (plus a few leaves for garnish)
- 28- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 cups water
- 1-2 tablespoons vegan honey (more or less to taste or use light brown sugar)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics:
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and Calabrian chili peppers. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the basil to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.
Simmer the tomato soup:
- Add the whole peeled tomatoes and 3 cups of water to the pot. Add a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Blend the soup:
- Remove the lid from the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. See Note 2.
Finish the tomato soup:
- Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add the vegan honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and rapidly simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes to reduce the soup and intensify the flavors. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid reducing it too much. You want it to bubble consistently but not vigorously. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or honey to suit your preferences. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
To serve:
- Ladle the tomato soup into bowls and serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few fresh basil leaves on top. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: You can use as many or as few Calabrian chili peppers as you like. I used 7, which made for a spicy soup. You can use 1 or 2 for mild heat. If you don’t have Calabrian chili peppers, use crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Note 2: You can also use a traditional blender or food processor.
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 294mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 21mg
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