Hello all, I've gotten addicted to making this tomato soup recipe, it's cheap to make and easy and tastes great! I thought I would share it.
Soak a handful or so of cashew nuts in boiling water to soften. Blend in a high speed blender e.g. nutribullet or something that can blend really well - with some of the water to make a creamy cashew paste.
Saute a large onion or two (depending how much you want to make!)
Add several cloves of minced garlic (I like to add loads!) when the onion is nearly cooked, saute a little longer
Add 1 - 2 cans of tinned tomatoes (even the cheap varieties work well)
Simmer, add some stock powder or cubes, and herbs (e.g. dried oregano, thyme etc).
Once it's all simmered together for a short while, blend well, then add the blended cashew nuts, stir in. You could alternately blend with the whole cashews at the end, in a high speed blender. Using a high speed blender ensures the cashews are thoroughly creamy rather than bitty to give the cream of tomato soup vibe.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes add extra garlic powder towards the end to make extra garlicy.
Although cashew nuts are a little pricey you don't need loads and the rest of the ingredients are cheap and cheerful and it is very easy to make.
To me it tastes very similar to tinned tomato soup, only a superior version. You could add a pinch of sugar to bring out the sweetness but I don't find it necessary.