Simple Tomato And Bean Soup, 19p. [VG/V/DF/GF]

This simple staple started off as a tin of baked beans, thoroughly rinsed, plus a carton of chopped tomatoes – out of which I made a hearty, filling soup suitable for lunch or a light supper. I’ve jazzed it up a bit since then! And don’t be scared of rinsing baked beans, they are normally just haricot or borlotti or cannelloni beans slathered in ‘that’ bright orange tomato sauce, and the value range versions are much cheaper than their plain counterparts. In case you’re interested, this recipe cost 15p per portion in 2012, and is up to 19p per portion 6 years later. Not the worst price rise I’ve seen when rewriting my older recipes, but still a little annoying.)

Serves 4 at 19p each

1 medium onion, 9p (80p/1.5kg, Sainsburys Basics)
2 cloves of garlic, 4p (35p/2 bulbs of garlic, Sainsburys Basics)
1 carrot, 6p (90p/1.5kg, Sainsburys Basics)
500ml stock made with 1 stock cube and water, 3p (30p/10 stock cubes, Sainsburys Basics)
1 x 400g tin of beans, 25p (25p/420g, Sainsburys Basics baked beans)
1 tsp thyme, 1p (80p/100g, KTC or Natco brand at any major supermarket)
1 x 400g carton or tin of chopped tomatoes, 30p (30p/400g, Sainsburys Basics)

 

Peel and chop the onion, peel and finely chop the garlic, wash and chop the carrot. Put them all into a saucepan and cover with the stock.

Drain and rinse the tinned beans, then throw them into the pan.

Add the herbs and the chopped tomatoes, then simmer for 30 minutes until the veg are soft.

This soup can be served chunky – by tipping half into a blender, pulsing and mixing the purée back in with the chunky half in the pan – or smooth, by pulsing the lot in a blender.

Tips: For a lighter summer version, add a splash of lemon juice, use chicken stock in place of the beef and parsley instead of the woody herbs. use less stock for a thicker mixture, which once blended can be frozen in ice cube moulds and used as a delicious pasta sauce.

 

20 Comments »

  1. I really enjoy reading your recipes.
    I just wanted to let you know that if there is a 99p store near you, then you can normally buy 3 x 400g cans of cannellini beans / butter beans/ chickpeas for 99p. Also if there is a Home Bargains in the area they have 4 x 400g cans of tomatoes for £1 (or 29p a can if bought individually).

  2. I didn’t have thyme but I did have a bay leaf and some paprika. Spanish-ish style? We shall see…

    • It was yummy. Especially on the second day when it had got all nice and thick and the flavours had developed. One for the recipe book…

  3. I might make a version of this tomorrow to have with the Herby bread I made tonight. It’ll have to have kidney beans as well as cannellini as I have a mixed tub leftover from the beany chilli I made last night, plus dried thyme instead of fresh. Hopefully it will still work!

  4. As a prospective University student, reading these recipes has been absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much for sharing, and needless to say I will be continuing to read the blog as often as possible!

  5. Made this for lunch it was fab added curly kale from the garden, im going to whizz up the left overs, freeze in icecube trays and use as a pizza base, result. Next time I might add some pearl barley a little goes along way . A great recipe no matter what time of the year, I feel I’ll be making this alot.

  6. Made this today for my lunch and loved it. I am counting calories and your soup when (tweaked with extra water to make 6 portions) comes in at under 116 cals per portion with 56 % of your fruit /veg intake for the day covered. Fantastic and very filling. Loving all of your recipies and my small children are loving the sunshine bread, only down side is it doesnt last very long in my house!!

  7. I made this for dinner yesterday. YUM! I didn’t pulse it as I love a soup with lots of chunky bits. Nothing left to freeze, I’m afraid. Thanks Jack xxx

  8. Use value baked beans with the sauce rinsed off – they’re just haricot under all that sludge and much cheaper. Also a couple of tablespoons of red lentils thickens it up nicely.

  9. Tried it and it’s delicious! The kids loved it as well, but with half the quantity of the haricots…. Thank you so much!

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