As fall approaches, farmer’s markets are putting out the last of their tomatoes for the season. This simple Creamy Tomato Soup With Miso is the answer to those ripe tomatoes that end up collecting on your countertop! Ever since I made this soup, we have never gone back to the canned stuff.
This creamy miso tomato soup I s what I consider to be a true fusion recipe. I’m using miso more and more in my western cooking. It gives the recipes some extra oomph without sacrificing the original flavor of the dish. I find that the miso melts perfectly into the soup and gives it tons of body.
Miso Paste
What is miso? It is a fermented soybean paste that has been naturally preserved with salt. It’s been used in Japanese cooking for centuries and many swear by its noted health benefits. It is salty, umami and depending on the type, can range between a mildly sweet to a deep and robust taste.
In tomato soup, it acts a lot like bouillon does, giving the broth just enough body to handle the ripe tomatoes and heady basil.
Fresh Tomatoes
For this recipe I find that using the ripest, reddest tomatoes is best for flavor. Factors such as season, type, and availability will all impact which tomatoes you end up using for the soup. However, anything with a sweet, robust flavor is best. You can even try using cherry tomatoes, but I recommend roasting them a little first with some olive oil and salt to really bring out their sweetness.
Butter
I browned the butter in this recipe to really give the dish a full bodied flavor. When using such simple ingredients it’s can be helpful to maximize the flavor potential of each ingredient to get the most of the recipe. Vegan butter can be substituted, just use equal parts vegan butter for the regular butter in the recipe.
Creamy Tomato Soup With Miso Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 12 large ripe tomatoes (I use heirloom or vine-ripened)
- 2 tbsp butter or vegan butter
- 2 small yellow onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream +more for drizzling, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and onions.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat until foamy and slightly browned.
- Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add in the tomatoes, miso, salt, and thyme. Cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.
- Add in the broth and turn up the heat to high, Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If using a traditional blender, allow the soup to cool longer before blending to prevent hot splashes.
- Return the soup to the pot and warm on low heat. Add in the cream and stir.
- Serve the soup in warmed bowls and top with a small drizzle of cream and the fresh basil.
Creamy Tomato Soup With Miso
Ingredients
- 12 large ripe tomatoes (I use heirloom or vine-ripened)
- 2 tbsp butter or vegan butter
- 2 small yellow onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream +more for drizzling, optional
Instructions
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and onions.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat until foamy and slightly browned.
- Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add in the tomatoes, miso, salt, and thyme. Cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.
- Add in the broth and turn up the heat to high, Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If using a traditional blender, allow the soup to cool longer before blending to prevent hot splashes.
- Return the soup to the pot and warm on low heat. Add in the cream and stir.
- Serve the soup in warmed bowls and top with a small drizzle of cream and the fresh basil.
