Hairy Bikers Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe

This velvety smooth Hairy Bikers Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe is made with ripe vine tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil, ready in just under an hour. Roasting the vegetables in the oven first intensifies their natural sweetness and creates an incredible depth of flavour you simply cannot get from boiling alone. I love serving this simple lunch with a crispy grilled cheese sandwich for dipping.

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Why This Classic Works

I used to think making soup from scratch was too much effort compared to opening a tin, but I was wrong. The difference in flavour when you roast the tomatoes until they are slightly charred and blistering is absolutely worth the extra step. It transforms watery supermarket salad tomatoes into something rich, concentrated, and satisfying.

My first attempt failed because I used tomatoes that were too hard and under-ripe, resulting in a soup that tasted acidic and thin. Using proper ripe plum or vine tomatoes makes sure the soup ends up thick and naturally sweet rather than sour, so always pick the reddest ones you can find.

Hairy Bikers Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe Ingredients

• 1.5kg ripe vine tomatoes or plum tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled (leave skins on)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 500ml vegetable stock, hot
• 1 tsp sugar (optional, to taste)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp double cream (optional, for serving)

How To Make Hairy Bikers Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe

1. Roast the vegetables: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan). Arrange the halved tomatoes, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a large baking tray. Drizzle everything with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season generously with salt and pepper, and roast for 40 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
2. Prepare the garlic: Once the tray comes out of the oven, carefully pick out the roasted garlic cloves. Squeeze the soft, sweet garlic pulp out of the skins and discard the papery shells.
3. Blend the soup: Tip the roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic pulp, and any juices from the baking tray into a blender or food processor. Add the tomato purée, half the basil leaves, and half the hot vegetable stock, then blitz until smooth.
4. Simmer and finish: Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepan and stir in the remaining stock until you reach your desired consistency. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to warm through, taste for seasoning, and add a pinch of sugar if it needs balancing.

Recipe Tips

• Ripeness matters: This recipe relies heavily on the quality of your produce. If your tomatoes are pale or hard, leave them on a windowsill for a few days to ripen before cooking, or the soup will lack flavour.
• Skin texture: High-speed blenders usually pulverise tomato skins completely, but if you prefer a restaurant-style finish, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve before reheating.
• Acid balance: Tomatoes can vary in acidity. Always taste the soup at the end and add a teaspoon of sugar or a little more balsamic vinegar to correct the balance if it tastes too sharp.

What To Serve With Tomato Soup

A classic cheddar cheese toastie is the ultimate partner for this dish, offering a crunchy texture that contrasts perfectly with the smooth liquid. Alternatively, a slice of crusty sourdough bread with salted butter works brilliantly to soak up the last drops in the bowl.

How To Store

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. This soup freezes beautifully for up to three months; simply defrost it in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the hob until piping hot.

FAQs

Can I use tinned tomatoes instead?
Yes, but you will lose the roasted flavour. If using tins, sauté the onions and garlic in a pan first, then simmer with two 400g tins of tomatoes for 20 minutes before blending.

Do I have to peel the tomatoes?
No, roasting the tomatoes softens the skins enough that they blend away easily. Leaving the skins on also adds fibre and saves a lot of preparation time.

Is this soup vegan?
It is fully vegan if you use vegetable stock and omit the optional cream swirl at the end. It is naturally dairy-free without the garnish.

Nutrition

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 450mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 18g
• Protein: 4g

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Stottie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Parkin Recipe