Tomato Pesto Soup with a Secret Healthy Ingredient (Whole30, Low Carb, Gluten Free)

Nothing screams comfort food like a good pot of tomato soup.  I am pretty sure that the Campbell company would not still be in operation today if they had not created a tomato soup!

The History of Tomato Soup

The tomato is native to South and Central America.  Once discovered by European explorers, the seeds were brought back to Europe and grown but not eaten.  At the time, tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous (although the leaves are poisonous) by the Europeans who were suspicious of their bright, shiny fruit.

It wasn't until Italy finally embraced the tomato and started creating delicious recipes that the French decided to give them a try.  The French nicknamed these beautiful little vegetables "Pomme D'Amour" which translates into Apples of Love since they were thought to have aphrodisiac-like properties.

In 1897, soup mogul Campbell came out with a condensed tomato soup, a move that set the company on the road to wealth as well as further endearing the tomato to the general public.

And there you have it...The history of the tomato according to google!

The Recipe

I wanted to keep this soup a one-pot operation (and avoid splattering scalding hot liquid), so I pureed the mixture with an immersion blender . However, for an extra-smooth texture, you can also take a large large glass measuring cup, scoop the soup into a high speed blender and blend it until smooth.

As for making it creamy?  Here in lies the "secret" ingredient...Celery!  That's right folks. Taking celery and combining it with the broth in a high speed blender before heating the ingredients was all I used to create the thickness necessary for this soup.  If you haven't already seen my recipe for celery juice, head on over to that post and learn why celery is such an such an AMAZING vegetable.

Finally, to add a little pizzazz to my soup, I added a touch of pesto.  Believe it or not, the pesto REALLY made this a "to die for" soup.  I discourage you from trying this soup if you are not prepared to add the pesto.  The pesto adds a depth and flavour to the soup that takes it from delightful to exquisite.

The best part is if you don't want to make your own pesto , buying a good quality pesto is really easy.  I have fallen in love with Rana Basil Pesto and you can find it in the refrigerated section of almost all grocery stores (even Walmart carries it!)

Just how good is this healthy tomato soup?

It is so good that I guarantee this soup will convert the “I don’t really like tomato soup”  into “I’ll have a second bowl of that” fans.

Serve this soup with some homemade crackers such as almond flax seed crackers or Parmesan Cracker Crisps .

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Pesto Tomato Soup (Whole30, Low Carb)

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Nothing screams comfort food like homemade tomato soup!  The addition of pesto at the end takes this soup and takes it over the top.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 large bowls 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 32 oz chicken stock (could use vegetable stock)
• 26 oz/750 g crushed tomatoes (I use the brand Pomi which contains only tomatoes and salt)
• 1 lb celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ⅛ cup coconut aminos (could substitute with soy sauce)
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp basil pesto

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Instructions

1. Add chopped celery and chicken or vegetable stock to a large high speed blender.  Blend on high until pureed.
2. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat and add chopped onion stirring continuously until translucent.  Add garlic and continue to stir for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add celery puree and tomatoes to the soup pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
4. Add all other ingredients except pesto and use your immersion blender to puree the soup.   If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer soup to a high speed blender, blend on high for 1 minute and then return soup to pot.  Continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Place soup in bowl and add 1 tablespoon pesto to each bowl.
6. Enjoy!

 

Notes

• Use this recipe to make your own homemade basil Whole30 pesto.  If not, try using Rana Basil Pesto as it is SERIOUSLY out of this world.
• Using an immersion blender is easier but for a creamier soup, add soup to a high speed blender and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes.

• Author: Cat
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Main Meal
• Cuisine: Whole30, Low carb, Soup

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6 Large Bowls
• Calories: 159
• Sugar: 8.5 g
• Fat: 7.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 15.2 g
• Fiber: 3.7 g
• Protein: 3.5 g