Here’s a tasty homemade tomato and basil soup recipe, and two different ways to make it – in a pressure cooker (fast), and in a crock pot (slow).
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I am overrun with fresh basil and I will soon have an overabundance of tomatoes. This soup recipe will help me eat into the excess produce. This is a very accommodating recipe so experiment with other herbs and spices growing in your garden. You can use either a pressure cooker* or a crock pot to prepare this soup. I will give cooking times for both. I use both a large slow cooker and a large pressure cooker, if you are using smaller cooking implements you can halve the recipe.
Tomato and Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Directions for Cooking in the Pressure Cooker*:
- Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper in pressure cooker. Cover and bring up to high pressure.
- Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 10 minutes.
- Release pressure.
- Strain solids from the liquid, reserving both.
- Place the solids in a food processor along with the basil and puree. (I have a small food processor, so I have to do this in batches.) Add the reserved liquid in a little at a time until you have achieved the desired serving consistency.
- Stir in the oil and vinegar.
*When using a pressure cooker, please ensure that it is well maintained and in good working order. Refer to your owner’s manual for directions and safety instructions.
Directions for Cooking in the Crock Pot:
- Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Strain solids from the liquid, preserving both.
- Place the solids in a food processor along with the basil and puree. (I have a small food processor, so I have to do this in batches.) Add the reserved liquid in a little at a time until you have achieved the desired serving consistency.
- Stir in the oil and vinegar.
Printable Recipe for Tomato and Basil Soup
Tomato and Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Pressure Cooker*
- Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper in pressure cooker. Cover and bring up to high pressure.
- Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 10 minutes.
- Release pressure.
- Strain solids from the liquid, preserving both.
- Place the solids in a food processor along with the basil and puree. (I have a small food processor, so I have to do this in batches.) Add the reserved liquid in a little at a time until you have achieved the desired serving consistency.
- Stir in the oil and vinegar.
Crock Pot
- Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Strain solids from the liquid, preserving both.
- Place the solids in a food processor along with the basil and puree. (I have a small food processor, so I have to do this in batches.) Add the reserved liquid in a little at a time until you have achieved the desired serving consistency.
- Stir in the oil and vinegar.
Notes
Nutrition
This soup may be served hot or cold. This makes 8 servings.
If I have excess liquids I save it to use in Mexican Rice (use it in place of some of the water), Swiss Steak, or Barbeque Beef.
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Amanda says
Do you have recipes you use for the tomato sauce and salsa? If so, would you mind sharing?
Alea says
Amanda- I have never frozen or canned this soup before. If we have leftovers I make tomato soup cake.
I will use the bulk of my tomatoes to can tomato sauce and salsa.
Usually I freeze my soups instead of canning them, but I am not sure how this one turn out. I will have to try it and see.
Alea says
I will admit being very partial to basil.
mub says
This sounds very yummy! I make tomato soup with a couple of cloves and that makes it really nice… I am not convinced it would work with the basil though.
Amanda says
That sounds great! I too have a bunch of basil and as soon as my tomatoes start ripening, I won't know what to do with all of them. Have you ever tried freezing or canning this soup? I am trying to find recipes that I can freeze and/or can so that I can enjoy my tomatoes into the winter.