Forget everything you know about canned tomato soup! One taste of this authentic Garden Tomato Soup, or Tamatar Shorba, and you’ll never go back. It’s the ultimate comfort food, blending sun-ripened tomatoes, warming ginger, and a luxurious touch of cream. Inspired by traditional Bengali home cooking, this recipe is the perfect fusion of a rustic Indian shorba and a silky European bisque. It’s absolute perfection in a bowl, whether you’re craving a light lunch or a stunning starter for an Indian feast.
Ingredients
• The Aromatics & Base
• 4 tbsp / 57g Unsalted butter, divided
• 8 medium / 2 lbs / 1 kg Ripe red or yellow tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 small / 5 oz / 140g Apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 to 2 Fresh hot red or yellow chilies, to taste
• 0.5 inch / 1.5 cm Fresh ginger root, scraped and sliced
• 0.5 piece Cassia bark or 1 Bay leaf
• 4 to 5 Whole peppercorns
• 0.5 tsp / 1g Cumin seeds
• 0.25 cup / 60 ml Water
• The Soup Body & Finish
• 2 cups / 480 ml Vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp / 15g Whole wheat pastry flour
• 0.25 tsp / 1g Sugar
• 1 tsp / 6g Salt, or to taste
• 0.5 cup / 120 ml Half-and-half or light cream
• 2 tbsp / 8g Fresh coriander cilantro, parsley, or dill, chopped
• Optional Garnish
• 1 tbsp / 14g Softened spiced herb butter
Instructions
1. Melt 1 tbsp / 14g of the unsalted butter in a 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat.
2. Add the 2 lbs / 1 kg chopped tomatoes, apple, chilies, cassia/bay leaf, peppercorns, ginger, and cumin seeds. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Pour in 0.25 cup / 60 ml water, cover, and reduce heat to low.
4. Cook gently for 20–25 minutes until the tomatoes and apples are very soft and pulpy.
5. Press the cooked mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove skins and spices. Mix the strained pulp with the 2 cups / 480 ml vegetable stock.
6. In the clean saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tbsp / 43g of butter over low heat.
7. Whisk in the 2 tbsp / 15g flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes to create a light roux. Do not let it brown.
8. Slowly pour the tomato-stock mixture into the roux, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer.
9. Stir in 0.25 tsp / 1g sugar and 1 tsp / 6g salt. Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
10. Stir in the 0.5 cup / 120 ml half-and-half or cream and heat through gently. Do not let it boil.
11. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with a dab of optional herb butter, and sprinkle with 2 tbsp / 8g fresh herbs.
Nutritional Information
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: ~220 kcal
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Total Carbohydrates: 18g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 9g
• Protein: 3g
• Sodium: 680mg
Pro Tips
• Never boil the soup after adding cream or half-and-half. The dairy is sensitive to high heat and acid from the tomatoes and will curdle. Gently heat until just steaming to maintain a silky texture.
• Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find. This recipe shines with fresh, sun-ripened produce, so let them sit on a sunny windowsill for a few days if they’re not quite ready.
• Don’t skip the sieving step. Pushing the cooked mixture through a fine-mesh sieve is the secret to a velvety, restaurant-quality soup, removing all skins and coarse spices.
• For a milder soup, remove the seeds from the chilies before cooking, or simply remove the whole chilies from the pot before you sieve the mixture.
FAQ
Q: How can I make this tomato shorba vegan
A: Absolutely! To make this recipe vegan, substitute the unsalted butter with a high-quality vegan butter or olive oil. For the creaminess, replace the half-and-half or light cream with full-fat coconut milk or a homemade cashew cream for a rich, dairy-free finish. The results will be just as luxurious.
Q: Is this garden tomato soup recipe gluten-free
A: As written, this recipe is not gluten-free because it uses whole wheat pastry flour to create the roux. To make it gluten-free, you can easily substitute the flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Alternatively, you can skip the roux and thicken the soup at the end with a cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water) until it reaches your desired consistency.
Q: Can I make this tomato soup ahead of time
A: Yes, this soup is perfect for meal prep. For best results, follow the recipe through step 9 (before adding the cream). Cool the soup base completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the soup on the stovetop and then stir in the half-and-half or cream just before serving.
Q: What can I serve with this soup to make it a full meal
A: To turn this soup into a more substantial vegetarian meal, serve it with crusty bread for dipping, a classic grilled cheese sandwich, or a side of fluffy basmati rice. For an extra protein boost, top the soup with crispy roasted chickpeas, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or some toasted paneer cubes.
