Turmeric Tomato and Coconut Soup

Tomato soup is one of those dishes you think you already know. Tomatoes cooked down until soft, blended until smooth, perhaps finished with a little cream. This Turmeric Tomato and Coconut Soup starts from that familiar place, but fresh turmeric and coconut give it a character entirely of its own.

My dad loved tomato soup and always said that a good bowl of it could make you feel better. I must have had that somewhere in the back of my mind when this recipe first came about. I was feeling a little under the weather, there wasn’t much in the fridge, and tomato soup seemed like exactly what I wanted.

What came together was warming and earthy, with the familiar sweetness and acidity of tomatoes still running through it. The coconut softens the sharper edges, while fresh turmeric brings a warmth that you simply don’t get from a classic tomato soup.

What started as a make-do bowl of soup has since become a staple in my kitchen.

Why you’ll Love this recipe

• Fresh turmeric is surprisingly gentle. It may look like a lot going into the pan, but fresh turmeric has a much softer flavour than the dried spice. Even with a generous amount, it gives the soup a mild earthy warmth rather than an overpowering turmeric taste. Ground turmeric is far more concentrated, so it should never be substituted in the same quantity or the soup can become bitter.
• The grated coconut creates the texture. As it cooks with the tomatoes and is then blended, the fresh coconut gives the soup much of its thickness and natural creaminess. The coconut milk added at the end simply rounds everything out and gives it a smoother finish.
• Rich without relying on cream. Despite its thick, creamy consistency, there’s no dairy cream, flour or potato in the soup. You get the richness you want from a creamy tomato soup without losing the freshness and acidity of the tomatoes.
• It freezes beautifully. The soup keeps well in the freezer, so it’s worth making extra and freezing in portions for another day.

What you’ll Need

• Red onions. These form the base of the soup and develop a gentle sweetness as they cook. Let them take on a little colour rather than simply softening them.
• Garlic and ginger. Both are cooked with the onions at the beginning, bringing warmth and depth to the tomato base.
• Fresh turmeric. Fresh turmeric is milder and less concentrated than ground turmeric, which is why we can use it generously here. Grating it finely allows it to cook into the base and eventually disappear into the blended soup. If using ground turmeric instead, you’ll need considerably less.
• Fresh coconut. Freshly grated coconut works best here because it cooks directly into the tomato base and blends smoothly into the finished soup. Avoid sweetened or heavily dried coconut, which will give you a very different result.
• Black peppercorns and paprika. The peppercorns bring gentle warmth, while paprika adds another subtle layer without making the soup hot.
• Tomatoes. Choose ripe, flavourful tomatoes as they make up the bulk of the soup. This is one recipe where good tomatoes really do make a noticeable difference.
• Tomato purée. Concentrates the tomato flavour and gives the fresh tomatoes a little more depth as they cook down.
• Water. There’s no need for stock here. The tomatoes, aromatics and spices create plenty of flavour on their own, while water allows those flavours to remain clear.
• Coconut milk. This goes in after the soup has been blended, giving the finished soup a smoother, rounder consistency without masking the tomatoes.
• Oil and salt. A neutral oil works well for cooking the base, while salt is best adjusted towards the end once all the flavours have come together.

For the topping

• Coconut cream. For a little creamy contrast over the finished soup.
• Coarse breadcrumbs. Toasted in olive oil until crisp and golden.
• Cress. A small scattering adds freshness without introducing another strong flavour.
• Freshly crushed black pepper. A final bit of warmth that works particularly well with the turmeric.

How to make it

Give the base time to cook. The onions, garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric and grated coconut all go into the pan together, and this first stage is worth taking your time over. Let the onions soften and become lightly golden rather than rushing on to the tomatoes. Because the turmeric and coconut are finely grated, they cook right into the base rather than remaining as separate pieces in the finished soup.

Let the tomatoes tell you when they’re ready. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and spices and cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the tomatoes are beginning to soften, before adding the water. Leave everything to simmer until the tomatoes are so soft that you can easily squash them against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. If they’re still holding their shape, give them a little longer.

Blend it properly. This is where the texture really comes together. A high-powered blender such as a Vitamix or NutriBullet will make the soup beautifully smooth without straining; the grated coconut, turmeric and tomato skins should all disappear into the blend. If you’re using a less powerful blender and want that same silky finish, pass the soup through a fine sieve afterwards.

Finish rather than cook the coconut milk. Once blended, return the soup to a gentle heat and stir through the coconut milk. It only needs to warm through and become part of the soup. Taste once everything is together and make your final adjustment to the seasoning.

Finish the bowls. Toast the coarse breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until crisp and golden. Spoon the soup into bowls and finish with a swirl of coconut cream, the toasted breadcrumbs, fresh cress and plenty of freshly crushed black pepper.

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Helpful Tips and Tricks

• Fresh turmeric is quite different from ground turmeric. Fresh turmeric has a gentler, earthier flavour, which is why you can use a generous amount without it overwhelming the tomatoes. Ground turmeric is much more concentrated, so don’t replace the fresh turmeric with the same quantity. If using ground, start with ½ teaspoon, then taste and gradually add a little more until you have enough warmth and turmeric flavour without it becoming overpowering.
• Grate the turmeric and coconut rather than chopping them. The size matters here. Finely grated turmeric and coconut soften quickly and cook right into the tomato base within the timings given in the recipe. Larger pieces will take longer to soften and can also leave the finished soup slightly grainy, even after blending.
• Give the blender enough time to do its job. With a high-powered blender, the soup should become beautifully smooth without needing to be strained. Don’t stop as soon as everything looks blended; giving it a little longer makes the texture noticeably silkier. If your blender isn’t quite as powerful, pass the soup through a fine sieve afterwards.
• Adjust the consistency to suit you. Tomatoes vary in how juicy they are, so the finished soup can be slightly thicker from one batch to another. If it feels too thick, loosen it with a little hot water until it’s where you want it. For a thicker, more substantial soup, add one medium potato, peeled and roughly chopped, along with the tomatoes and cook until completely tender before blending. It gives the soup more body without changing the flavour too much.
• Choose coarse breadcrumbs over croutons. Toasted in a little olive oil, coarse breadcrumbs give you crisp, irregular little pieces in almost every spoonful rather than the occasional large crunch of a crouton. They also soak up just a touch of the soup while keeping some texture. Store-bought croutons tend to be harder and are often already seasoned, which can compete with the turmeric, tomato and coconut rather than simply adding crunch.
• Don’t skip the black pepper. Freshly crushed black pepper works particularly well with turmeric and gives the finished bowl a gentle warmth without turning it into a spicy soup.

Looking For More Tomato Base Recipes?? Here are few of Our Favourites

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If you make this recipe I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below and let me know. It genuinely makes a difference to know what’s working and what isn’t, and I read every single one. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook  where I share new recipes, behind the scenes and whatever else is happening in the kitchen at Poetry of Spices.

Tomato Turmeric and Coconut Soup

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 medium red onions, sliced
• 6–7 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh turmeric, grated
• 3 tbsp fresh coconut, grated
• 4–5 black peppercorns
• ½ tsp paprika
• 600 g tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 120 g tomato purée
• 1½ cups water
• 200 ml coconut milk
• Salt, to taste

For Garnish:

• Coconut cream
• Coarse breadcrumbs
• Olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh cress
• Freshly crushed black pepper

method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric and grated coconut. Cook over a medium heat until the onions have softened and are lightly golden.
   (2 tbsp oil • 2 red onions • 6–7 garlic cloves • 2 tbsp ginger • 2 tbsp fresh turmeric • 3 tbsp fresh coconut)
2. Add the peppercorns, paprika, tomatoes and tomato purée. Cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the tomatoes are beginning to soften.
   (4–5 black peppercorns • ½ tsp paprika • 600 g tomatoes • 120 g tomato purée)
3. Pour in the water, season with salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the tomatoes are completely soft and can easily be crushed against the side of the pan.
   (1½ cups water • salt)
4. Remove from the heat and blend until completely smooth. For an especially silky soup, pass through a fine sieve if needed.
5. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the coconut milk. Warm gently without bringing it to a vigorous boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
   (200 ml coconut milk)
6. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Add the coarse breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt, and toast until crisp and golden.
   (Coarse breadcrumbs • olive oil • pinch of salt)
7. Ladle the soup into bowls. Finish with a swirl of coconut cream, the toasted breadcrumbs, fresh cress and freshly crushed black pepper. Serve hot.
   (Coconut cream • toasted breadcrumbs • fresh cress • freshly crushed black pepper)

Notes

• If you're planning to freeze the soup, freeze it after blending in Step 4 and add the coconut milk only after defrosting and reheating.

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