Tomato and basil soup is one of those lunches I never really get bored of. It’s warm and comforting in winter, but because of the fresh tomato and basil flavours, it doesn’t feel too heavy if you fancy soup at other times of the year either.

This is my homemade version using fresh plum tomatoes, passata, roasted red pepper and plenty of fresh basil. It makes a lovely smooth soup with a slightly sweet tomato flavour that always reminds me a little of Heinz tomato soup, although obviously it isn’t intended to be an exact copy.

One of the slightly unusual things about my tomato and basil soup recipe is that it contains baked beans, tinned carrots and a few pickled onions. I know that sounds like I’ve emptied random tins from the cupboard into a saucepan, but once everything is blended you don’t really notice them individually. They help create the smooth texture and slightly sweeter flavour.

It’s also ridiculously easy to make. You can cook it on the hob and blend it or put everything into a soup maker and let that do most of the work.

If you don’t have fresh basil or fresh plum tomatoes, I also have a quick rich tomato soup that’s much more of a store-cupboard recipe and uses dried herbs instead.

Tomato soup in a dark bowl — Tomato soup

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Why use fresh basil?

Fresh basil is what makes this version different from my other tomato soup recipe.

Tomato and basil is such a simple combination, but fresh basil gives the soup a much brighter flavour than dried mixed herbs.

I add around 20g to the soup and keep a few leaves back for serving. If you’re growing basil at home and suddenly find yourself with far more than you know what to do with, this is a very good excuse to use a decent handful!

You can use less if you prefer a more subtle basil flavour, but I wouldn’t leave it out completely because at that point you’re really making a different tomato soup. I would also avoid using the stalks as they can make the soup tasty kind of woody. It is hard to describe but they don’t make it taste as nice!

Close-up of vibrant green basil leaves with a soft bokeh background, reminiscent of fresh ingredients in a slimming world tomato soup. — fresh basil is great for this recipe and smells lovely in the kitchen too

Why are there baked beans in tomato soup?!

Yes, there really are baked beans in my tomato soup!

If you’ve never made tomato soup this way before, it probably sounds rather odd. Once everything is blended, though, you’re not going to find random beans floating around in your bowl.

They help make the soup thicker and more substantial, while the tomato sauce around the beans blends easily with the other tomato ingredients.

Tinned carrots and pickled onions probably aren’t ingredients you’d expect either, but together they help give this particular soup the smooth, slightly sweet flavour I like.

It’s also a handy recipe for using inexpensive store-cupboard ingredients, and I don’t find that buying expensive brands makes any noticeable difference once everything has been blended.

The best tomatoes for tomato and basil soup

The tomatoes I find which are best for making tomato and basil soup are plum tomatoes. They have more flavour and are not too expensive.

Alternatively, you could use vine-ripened plum tomatoes for even more flavour though this tends to push the price up.

Can I make tomato and basil soup in a soup maker?

Yes. This tomato and basil soup is one of my favourite types of recipe for a soup maker because there is so little effort involved.

Add the ingredients according to the instructions for your particular machine, keeping a few basil leaves aside for serving, and use the smooth soup setting.

If you don’t have a soup maker, don’t worry. I made soup for years without one! You can make it in a saucepan and use a stick blender once everything is cooked.

Check out my soup maker recipes if you do have a soup maker and need more ideas.

Is tomato and basil soup good for weight loss?

If you’re following Slimming World, WW or another particular weight-loss programme, calculate the current values using the programme’s official tools rather than relying on old values online. Plans and food values change over time.

Homemade soup can be a useful lunch when you’re trying to lose weight because you know exactly what’s in it and can make a big batch in advance.

This particular recipe contains plenty of tomato-based ingredients as well as beans, carrots and red pepper.

A list detailing the benefits of tomatoes, inspired by Slimming World tomato soup, with accompanying text and an image of fresh tomatoes in the center.

If you enjoy my tomato and basil soup recipe, let me know in the comments below. If you have adapted it to perhaps make a chilli tomato and basil soup recipe I would love to hear about that too.