I don’t make tomato soup from scratch often. There’s a certain red can I reach for instinctively when I’m hit with a tomato soup craving. And I don’t want to disappoint my tastebuds by giving them something they did not ask for. I have similar feelings about homemade ketchup. There is no way to replicate the manufactured flavor I have so much nostalgia for in my kitchen. But what if I took my beloved tomato soup just far enough off of the beaten track to make something different? Perhaps I could make a different sense memory and make something I would be proud to serve without disappointing the, um, less-sophisticated side of my palette. Well, it turns out I could and I have this Red Curry Tomato Soup to show for it.
This recipe gets off to an interesting start. This Red Curry Tomato Soup kicks things off with garnishes. Yes, I know it’s a little strange to start with the finishing touches, but I promise it makes sense. Now, I’m going to ask you to fry some fresh herbs. They take on a crinkly, almost glass-like appearance and they’re super pretty but they are by no means mandatory. But if you think they’re too fussy, just give them a miss.
But having said that, do not give the second garnish – the ginger scallion sauce – a miss. I included it in the recipe’s title for a reason. It deserves top billing for all it does for this soup. Plus, aside from a little fine chopping, it’s very easy to make. And the soup uses the oil from it to get started. And if you don’t get through all of the sauce in one meal, you can serve it over just about any grilled protein and fall in love with it all over again.
The Red Curry Tomato Soup comes together in a fairly straightforward fashion. The soup gets a flavor boost from heavy hitters like red curry paste, fish sauce, and lemongrass. But there are a few steps, like straining the soup, you could forgo depending on your pulp and seed tolerance. I like my tomato soup creamy and on the thicker side. But that’s just me. If having to wash a fine-mesh strainer is not something your keen on doing, don’t give it another thought. I totally get it. I hate washing strainers too.
So that’s pretty much everything you need to know about this Red Curry Tomato Soup with Ginger Scallion Sauce. It’s creamy, velvety smooth, and positively bursting with flavor. Peep the video below for a detailed walkthrough. And if you like the video, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I post a new recipe video every two weeks.
Enjoy!
Red Curry Tomato Soup with Ginger Scallion Sauce
Equipment
- A large dutch oven
- Food processor or immersion blender
- A large skillet
- heat-proof jar
Ingredients
Fried Herbs & Ginger Scallion Sauce
- 1 (1") knod ginger minced
- 3 scallions white and light green parts only, finely chopped
- ½ cup neutral oil I used canola
- ¼ cup fresh mint and cilantro leaves washed and patted dry
Red Curry Tomato Soup
- 2 tbsp oil from the Ginger Scallion Sauce see above
- 3 shallots halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 (1 1/2") knob ginger cut into matchsticks
- 1 stalk lemongrass tough outer leaves removed
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 (796ml, 27 fl oz) cans whole tomatoes
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable or chicken stock divided
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar **
- 1 (400ml, 14 fl oz) can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ lime juiced
Instructions
For the Herbs & Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Place the ginger and scallions in a heat proof jar and set aside.
- Pour the oil into a cold frying pan and place over medium heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add mint and cilantro leaves, 2-3 at a time. You will know the oil is hot enough if it bubbles instantly when you add the herbs. Quickly fish out the herbs and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Once the herbs are fried, pour the hot oil over the scallions and ginger. The oil will bubble violently and then subside. Set the jar aside to cool slightly.
For the Soup
- Add the cooled ginger scallion oil to a large Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and reduce the heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and sweat the shallots until just translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the red curry paste and tomato paste. Sauté until the oil begins to separate from the curry paste. Pour in the whole tomatoes and break them up with your spoon.
- Add a cup of the vegetable or chicken stock and bring the mixture up to a boil and add the lemongrass. Stir in the fish sauce and turbinado sugar and reduce the soup to a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes.
- When the 20 minutes are up, remove the lemongrass and transfer the soup to a large food processor. Working in batches, blitz the soup until smooth. Pour the purée through a fine-mesh strainer before returning to the pot. This step is optional.
- Return the pot to the stove and pour in a can of coconut milk. Bring the soup up to a gentle simmer. In a small bowl whisk to combine the cornstarch and the remaining stock. Pour the mixture into the soup and stir until thickened slightly.
- Finish the soup with half a lime’s worth of juice and take it off the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the ginger and scallions and fried herbs from earlier. Serve immediately
