I’m an absolute sucker for a good tomato soup. I can’t count how many times I had this deliciously tangy soup for lunch as a kid growing up. And while my memories mainly consist of microwaving a can of Heinz tomato soup, as an adult, I much prefer making my own homemade tomato soup with fresh garden vegetables, tomatoes, leeks, and garlic. I wanted to share my favorite garden tomato soup recipe with everyone today so that you can try it out for yourself. If you can pick these ingredients straight from your garden, even better. If not, just try to find the freshest organic produce you can find. It’ll beat the canned variety by a long shot.
Fresh Ingredients Make the Best Paleo Soups
Fresh ingredients make any dish, really, but this is especially the case for soups since you want that flavor to come through and into the broth. If your ingredients are soaked in pesticides and chemicals, it will leech into the soup and ruin the flavor, not to mention the potential health risks involved in being regularly exposed to chemicals.
Do Soups Need to Be Stewed for Hours?
This tomato soup recipe is relatively straightforward to prepare, taking only about 10 minutes of prep time and a total combined cooking time of about 50 minutes. Unlike other soups that need hours and hours of cooking time, my recipe will only take under an hour. It all starts with heating some olive oil in a large pot. I love cooking my vegetables in olive oil to add a nice dose of heart-healthy fats that have been proven to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. (1)
The next step is cooking the leeks and garlic. Leeks make a fantastic addition to salads and soups if you want a hint of onion without overpowering the other flavors in your dish. They are loaded with antioxidants but are low in calories and high in fiber, which is good for satiety. Garlic cloves add another punch of flavor especially when using fresh garlic that’s just been peeled and crushed. This gives the immune system a nice boost, too. (2)
After sauteeing the garlic and leek, you’ll then add in the fresh tomatoes along with some pre-prepared chicken stock. Let it all simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are nice and tender, and then it’s time to mix in some coconut milk. The coconut milk adds plenty of vitamins and minerals to this already nutrient-dense meal. Coconut milk is a paleo alternative to dariy milk and is rich in healthy fats that are easily converted to energy, so you’re less likely to pack on the pounds even if you have this every day.
After everything has been combined, the final step is blending it all in a food processor until it’s smooth. You’ll need to wait until it’s cool before doing this, unless you have a hand blender on hand. A hand blender can be used on hot soups without having to wait for it to cool down, so you can blend it right in the pot. Top it with some chopped fresh basil and maybe even some paleo croutons.
- 2 pounds tomato, chopped
- 2 leeks (white parts only), chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ cup chicken soup
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp chopped basil leaves plus extra leaves for decoration (optional)
- In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the leek and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato and chicken soup and mix to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil then lower the heat.
- Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
- Add the coconut milk and mix to combine.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Remove from the heat.
- Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the soup until smooth.
- Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with basil leaves.
P.S. – You’re in luck; we have a ton of other vegetable soups that the family will love. These soups are convenient for sneaking in more vegetables into your kids’ diets without making it too obvious that they’re eating all-vegetable dishes.
#1 – Summer Garden Vegetable Soup
#2 – Hearty Paleo Vegetable Soup
#3 – Orange Carrot Soup
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