The Simple Ingredient Gordon Ramsay Adds To Tomato Soup For The Silkiest Texture

There's nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of creamy tomato soup on a cold day. Smooth, bright, with just a hint of sweetness and a slightly acidic kick, a good one really is a simple pleasure, and it's an easy dish to whip up at home. But for many, that silky texture is key, and Gordon Ramsay has just the trick for achieving it every time: adding a little dash of cream.

The celebrity chef previously shared his roasted tomato soup recipe in a YouTube video demonstration, where the notes say that cream leads to a "richer, creamier soup." Ramsay uses just a drizzle, and he adds it in right at the end of the cooking process before blending the soup. Heavy cream is best if you have it, but cashew cream or coconut milk can also work if you want to keep the soup dairy-free. Cashew cream, especially, will help keep the flavors balanced. 

Avoid adding any cream, dairy-free or not, to the soup too early on, as it could curdle over the heat. You also have less chance of curdling if you use room temperature cream, rather than cold cream taken straight from the fridge, and if you use one that's fresh.  If you forget to add it in before blending, stirring the cream into the soup before serving works too.

Ramsay has been making tomato soup for as long as he can remember. In fact, he learned how to make it from his mother, and he used to play some sneaky tricks when he was a child in order to get his hands on it. In his demo he says, "All those days I had off school...I used to purposely lie about feeling ill just to get a bowl of my mother's tomato soup."

Some of the other tricks he's learned over the years are using red onion for sweetness and roasting the tomatoes instead of stewing them. "There's a big difference in flavor," he says. When the tomatoes are roasted, they release their natural sugars, leading to a deeper and more enhanced flavor. The sugars will also caramelize in the oven, especially if paired with balsamic vinegar, which is Ramsey's preference.

He also tops his soup with a sun-dried tomato pesto and serves it with British cheese on toast. Of course, an ultimate grilled cheese is another option, or some crunchy croutons if you're looking for something lighter.