Allergy Dragon's soup season series winds down with this delicious tomato soup recipe as winter comes to a close and spring arrives. This soup is perfect for a blustery spring afternoon while the weather's still deciding if it wants to warm up. Here's to warmer days ahead!
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”
—Brian O'Driscoll, Pro Rugby Player
I dream up many of my recipes out of need for a tasty solution that's easy to make. This Tomato Soup recipe's a good example. I created the recipe for one of my clients who wanted a tomato soup that was just like the canned tomato soup they'd grown up with and loved. My client managed a long list of food allergies so the soup had to be free from gluten, wheat, rice, soy, legumes, garlic, black pepper, peanuts, tree-nuts, coconut, dairy, eggs, beef, pork, and red pepper. My client loved it! It has been a go-to soup recipe for beginners, plus it's perfect when you're pressed for time and nothing will do but a bowl of soup.
Easy, Allergy-Friendly Tomato Soup
(Serves approximately 4-6)
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
½ large onion cut into wedges. (I like a yellow or white onion for this!)
28 oz can of crushed or whole peeled tomatoes (*See tips)
1 cup of water, or vegetable, or chicken stock
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ black or white pepper to taste
Let’s get started!
Put everything in a pot, bring it to a boil, lower the heat to simmer, then cover it and cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes uncover it stir, and cook for 20 more minutes.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender (preferably, if you have one.) (*See tips)
Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, as needed.
Tips
1. Tomato Variation: You can use fresh tomatoes for this recipe. Approximately 2 pounds. They do not need to be peeled. Cooking instructions remain the same.
2. Blending Variation: If you don't have an immersion blender (a great tool; highly recommended for your kitchen btw) you can use a food processor or a regular blender. If you prefer a chunkier soup, do not use a blender.
3. Smart Substitution: If you don't have fresh onion on hand or can't eat it, substitute 1 TBSP of granulated onion
Fun fact: The Italian word for tomato — pomodoro — literally means “apple of gold” (pomo d'oro). Apparently, the tomatoes arriving in Europe via Spain from the New World in the mid-1500's had a yellow hue, hence the Italians call them "apple of gold". Today red varieties are more common, though they come in all different colors, shapes and sizes.
It gives me so much joy and satisfaction figuring out ways to adapt recipes to make them allergy friendly so people can eat what they want to eat!
Bon appetit!
In case you didn't know, I hold classes 1 to 2 times a month and you can find the schedule of upcoming classes here. The classes are offered in person and via zoom. If you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access a recording after the class to review the lesson. I can also teach individual custom classes virtually.
I invite you to come learn with me.
About the Author: Chef Martha Morgan (aka Allergy Dragon) is a specialty diet and allergy chef who shares tips, tricks and best recipes from almost 30 years of professional cooking experience on social media and at the Allergy Dragon's Lair.
Chef Martha provides support in the kitchen to everyone with food allergies, food intolerances, and specialty diets. Her expertise includes providing a full range of cooking guidance in the kitchen from technique, to finding safe products, to handling those new products, to creating (or re-creating as the case may be) recipes.
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Images: Courtesy of Allergy Dragon and Shelley Pauls on Unsplash