Guest Post: Tomato Basil Pesto Soup
It's a rainy day here in Knoxville. Rainy days provide the perfect reason to stay inside, all cozy and warm, and cook up a batch of homemade soup. Today's guest blogger, Serena Norr from Seriously Soupy shares her recipe for Tomato Basil Pesto Soup. Timely, right?
Thanks so much for writing, Serena!
I saw a flower bud today and it got me thinking about spring. Not only is it a time to shed some layers and enjoy more daylight, but spring is also a great time to enjoy delicious and fresh seasonal and local food. I particularly love the fresh and colorful varieties of fruits and vegetables for soup-making. In thinking about spring and the exciting soup-making season, I made this Tomato Basil Pesto Soup using a blend of colorful heirloom tomatoes that was mixed with a peppery/sweet basil pesto, creating a rich and flavorful light soup that will, hopefully, inspire you to get cooking in the warmer days ahead.
Enjoy!
Tomato Basil Pesto Soup
For the Soup
4 cups water
4 tomatoes, mixed blend
Bunch fresh basil
Bunch fresh sage
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
For the Basil Pesto
1/4 cup pine nuts
Bunch fresh basil (approximately a handful)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Start by boiling the water in a medium-sized pot. Dice tomatoes and place them in the boiling water, along with the fresh basil, sage, and salt. Cover the pot and start making the pesto.
Mash the pine nuts with a rolling pin and then grind them in a blender. Chop up the basil (very fine) and place it in a bowl, along with the pine nuts, olive oil, basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the pesto mixture into a blender until the mash is semi-liquefied. (The grind setting does this nicely!) There will be some chunks, so if that bothers you, continue to blend.
Add the pesto to soup and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes, tasting the soup along the way. Add more water to thin to preferred consistency, if necessary. Turn off the flame and enjoy!
To read more of Serena's recipes and her adventures with soup-making, please visit Seriously Soupy.
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