Citrus Spice Clear Tomato Soup
Submitted by toddsbw
Clear tomato soup strains fresh tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, and cloves into a clean, brothy soup brightened with lemon juice. Vegan, gluten-free, fat-free, served hot or cold.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minCitrus-spiced clear tomato soup is the elegant, restaurant-style starter that proves tomato soup doesn’t need cream or butter to shine. Ripe tomatoes simmer with celery, carrots, onion, green pepper, and whole cloves, then everything gets strained into a translucent, golden-red broth flavored with the spice of clove and the brightness of lemon. The result tastes like distilled summer tomato, with zero fat and minimal calories.
The straining step is what makes this dish what it is. Pushing the cooked vegetables through a sieve (or food processor first, then sieve) extracts every drop of flavor while leaving the pulp behind. The result is intensely flavored without any cloudiness, the consommé of the tomato-soup world.
The lemon juice goes in off the heat at the very end, which is non-negotiable. Adding lemon juice during the simmer cooks off the bright top notes, leaving a flat, sour aftertaste. Stirring it in after removing the pot from the heat preserves that signature citrus lift that defines this version.
Whole cloves (not ground) are the spice move. They contribute a warm, almost peppery undertone without staining the soup brown or turning it into mulled cider. Strain them out with the vegetables; they’ve done their job.
Serve this soup hot in winter or cold in summer. Both are correct.
Chef Tips
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find, pale or unripe tomatoes won’t deliver the deep red color or sweet base flavor
- Press the strained vegetables firmly to extract maximum juice, weak pressing leaves flavor behind
- Adjust the sugar to taste based on tomato sweetness, very acidic tomatoes need a full 2 teaspoons
- Chill thoroughly before serving cold, a quick chill leaves the flavors muddled
Variations
- Garnish hot soup with a swirl of olive oil and chopped fresh basil
- Top cold soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt and chives for a richer mouthfeel
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika and a splash of sherry vinegar for a Spanish-leaning version
Ingredients
Directions
Cut up the tomatoes and put them, with the water, into a soup-pot.
Add the celery, carrots, onion, green pepper, and cloves.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and add the salt andamp; pepper to taste, and sugar.
Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Strain.
Note:
You can put the vegetables in the food processor and then sieve the juice out of the chopped veggies using the back of a wooden spoon)
Correct the seasonings and serve either hot or cold.
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