How to Make a Tomato and Chilli Soup

It might be mid-summer, but that doesn't mean that a tomato and chilli soup is off the menu. In fact, many sources prove that eating warm (and spicy) foods during summer months can benefit your body. Eating warm tomato soups and spicy chillies during hotter months sends signals to your brain, which instinctively begins cooling you down. This is especially true of red chillies, which prompt the regulation of your body's temperature through sweating. Aside from this cooling benefit, tomato soup in particular is a great way to sneak in vitamins and antioxidants while still feeling satiated afterwards. And if you're still not convinced of this recipe's summertime benefit, did you know that tomatoes have also been proven to protect against UV rays?

This recipe involves pre-roasting vine tomatoes, along with red chilli, garlic, and vitamin-C-laden bell pepper. The result is a lightly spiced and all-round delicious soup that satisfies savoury cravings while ticking a few boxes for your five-a-day. If you happen to have a summer cold, this should also kickstart your immune system and leave you feeling brighter. As an optional extra step, add single (or soya) cream to your blended soup for a more subtle flavour and a less intense kick. This is a great way to use up leftover tomatoes and the final product works well as a starter or a main dish.

Fortunately, all ingredients are cheap and readily available, and the mixture can also be frozen and stored for up to six months. Substitute the stock cubes for vegan ones and use soya cream to make this recipe 100% vegan. Read on for the spicy-yet-creamy wonder-soup that will be your unexpected summer pick-me-up.

Tomato and Chilli Soup

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:50 mins
• Total Time:1 hr
• Servings:4
• Easy

Ingredients

• 10 medium-sized vine tomatoes quartered.
• 1 red bell pepper deseeded and roughly chopped.
• 1/2 red chilli deseeded and chopped.
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped.
• 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 1 teaspoon sugar.
• 60ml single cream.

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 170° C. Add tomatoes, red bell pepper, chilli, and garlic to a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. Roast for 30 mins.

  

• Step 2

  Add stock cubes to 1 1/2 pints boiling water. Once the vegetables have cooked through, incorporate both mixtures into a large pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

  

• Step 3

  Allow the mixture to cool before blending in batches—or with an immersion blender. As an optional step, run the soup through a sieve to remove any excess skin and seeds from the vegetables.

  

• Step 4

  Reheat in pan and add sugar as required. If using, add cream and serve.