{"id":180765,"title":"Beet Soup with Tomato and Basil","modified":"2026-10-03T04:38:51+02:00","plain":"A purplish-red beet soup, finished with a drizzle of cream and fresh basil, ready in 30 minutes.\n\n\n\nIn the bowl, the purplish-red color contrasts with the drizzle of cream and the basil leaves. Served piping hot, this beet soup is a quick blended soup for four, ready in just 30 minutes, combining the sweetness of caramelized red onions, the juices of ripe tomatoes and a creamy finish. This recipe joins my collection of keto soups and salads.\n\n\n\nWhat is beet soup?\n\n\n\nThe name gets straight to the point: beets provide the purplish-red color and texture, while tomato and basil bring the flavor. Here, 2 red onions, caramelized for at least 10 minutes, are joined by 2 precooked red beets, 2 ripe tomatoes, 250 ml of beef stock, preferably bone broth, and a splash of cream, before everything is blended.\n\n\n\nThe beets bring an earthy sweetness and a dense texture, the well-browned red onions a mellower note, and the tomatoes their juices and a gentle acidity that lightens the soup. Unlike borscht, this version contains no cabbage, dill, vinegar or sour cream. The cream is added in two stages, first during cooking and then in the bowl, where it contrasts with the color and the basil leaves.\n\n\n\nIn the same vein: Caprese salad.\n\n\n\nThe idea behind this version\n\n\n\nThis soup belongs to the family of smooth blended soups that highlight a vegetable’s sweetness with simple ingredients: ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil. Using precooked beets makes it practical for weeknights without sacrificing flavor.\n\n\n\nThe method starts with the red onions: their thin rings should soften and turn from golden to brown, without any blackened pieces. This caramelized base adds a mellower sweetness and a lightly toasted note, as in French onion soup. The tomatoes, then blended with the beets, provide just enough juice and acidity to balance the sweet, earthy character of the soup.\n\n\n\nThe main ingredients\n\n\n\nCooked red beets provide the color, texture and most of the sweetness; choose plain precooked beets, not ones seasoned with vinegar, to keep the recipe quick. The 2 red onions, cut into thin rings, cook for at least 10 minutes in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, until gently caramelized, with no bitterness as long as the browning is kept under control.\n\n\n\nAnother recipe in the same spirit: Dutch-style asparagus soup.\n\n\n\nVery ripe tomatoes add juice, a fruity sweetness and a subtle acidity, and their ripeness makes a big difference to the rounded flavor of the finished soup. The 250 ml of beef stock, preferably made with bones, create a flavorful base; powdered bone broth mixed with 250 ml of water also works, but taste before adding salt if the powder is already salted.\n\n\n\nOat cream mellows the soup and makes it creamier, but not all varieties are gluten-free; almond-based cream is better suited to a low-carb or paleo option, without making the soup strictly ketogenic. Fresh basil goes into the soup just before blending, with a few extra leaves to garnish the bowl. Olive oil is used to cook the onions, salt gently enhances the flavors, and pepper adds the finishing touch.\n\n\n\nTechnique tips and serving\n\n\n\nSuccess comes down to four things: precooked beets, well-caramelized onions, very ripe tomatoes and basil added at the end of cooking. Once the beets, tomatoes, stock and first splash of cream are combined, 2 minutes is enough, mainly to warm the beets through. While blending, keep the head of the immersion blender below the surface to minimize splashes; aim for a smooth, fluid, well-emulsified texture.\n\n\n\nOn a related note: Beet salad.\n\n\n\nServe the soup piping hot, with the second drizzle of cream and the basil leaves. A toasted chapati can be served alongside, bearing in mind that it increases the carbohydrate content of the meal. Cool leftovers quickly before transferring them to a sealed container, then reheat in a saucepan without prolonged boiling. As a guide, allow 9 g of net carbs per serving; the soup remains non-vegetarian because of the beef stock, even when made with plant-based cream.\n\n\n\nFor everyday keto cooking, here are all my low-carb recipes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tBeetroot Soup with Tomato and Basil\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t250 ml beef broth ((bone), or powdered bone broth, with 250 ml of water)2 red beetroots2 red onions2 tomatoes2 splashes cooking cream2 handfuls fresh basil (for the soup)a few individual leaves fresh basil (for garnish)1 pinch (Celtic sea) salt1 pinch black pepper1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil\t\n\t\n\t\tCut the onion into thin rings.Cook them in the oil in a frying pan over medium heat for at least 10 minutes to caramelise them. This takes much longer than simply saut\u00e9ing the onions until translucent!Meanwhile, chop the beetroots and tomatoes (use very ripe tomatoes, again for sweetness).Add them once the onions are ready, along with the broth and a splash of cream. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes.Add 2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Blend with an immersion blender.Finish each serving with a splash of cream and basil leaves.\t\n\t\n\t\tI use precooked beetroots (also available organic).\nFor creaminess, preferably use oat-based cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche or oat cream. Almost every variety contains different additives, so choose something that suits your food intolerances. Please note: not all oat creams are guaranteed gluten-free. For a low-carb\/moderate-carb and paleo version, choose an almond-based option.\nEquipment: soup pot, small PFAS-free frying pan, immersion blender.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tSoupes et bouillonsFran\u00e7aise","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180765\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}