There are some recipes that you make once and immediately know you’ll be making them for the rest of your life. This is one of them.
I threw this together one evening with what I had in the cupboard: a jar of sundried tomatoes, a tin of chopped tomatoes, half an onion, a handful of tiny pastas, and it came together in a way that felt almost unfairly easy for how good it tasted. It has developed and evolved a little since then, but the bones of the recipe remain unchanged. It’s all about the tomatoes.
Rich and smoky from the sundried tomatoes, deeply savoury from the smoked garlic, with a little warmth from the chilli, and a brightness from the sumac that I wasn’t expecting to love as much as I did.
The tiny pastas are the heart of it, really. I used cocciolette (the little shell-shaped ones that catch all the sauce/soup), but honestly, any small pasta works well here. Ditalini, stelline or orzo would be at home here. They cook right in the broth, absorbing all that flavour as they go, and the whole thing thickens into something that sits right on the line between soup and pasta. Comfort food at its finest.
Serve it with a shower of parmesan, some salt and pepper croutons if you’re feeling it, or a slab of focaccia on the side if you want to fully commit to the carbs (and I highly recommend that you do).
what you’ll need…
- 1 x 285g jar of sundried tomatoes in oil (keep the oil — you’ll need it)
- 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion, finely diced
- 1/2 long red marconi pepper (or any sweet red pepper), finely chopped
- As many cloves of smoked garlic as your heart desires, finely chopped (I use quite a lot)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- Sumac, to taste
- Chilli flakes, to taste (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A large handful of mini cocciolette (or any small pasta)
- Vegetable stock, just enough to cover
- A small bunch of fresh basil
- Parmesan, to serve
- Salt and pepper croutons, to serve (homemade if you have time)
- Focaccia, to serve on the side (optional but really not optional)
let’s get cooking…
- Start with the sundried tomatoes: Roughly chop your sundried tomatoes and add them to a large pot or deep sauté pan with a good glug of the oil from the jar. That oil is liquid gold — deeply flavoured and far too good to waste. Add the finely chopped onion and the sweet pepper, and satué over a medium heat until everything starts to soften and the onion turns translucent. This will take around eight to ten minutes. Don’t rush it.
- Add the garlic and the tomatoes: Add your smoked garlic to the pan and give everything a good stir. Let it cook for a minute or two before adding the tin of chopped tomatoes and the tablespoon of tomato purée. Season with sumac, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. I’m generous with my seasoning, but taste as you go and adjust to your own preference. The sumac in particular adds a lovely citrusy note that lifts the whole dish.
- Add the pasta and stock: Chuck in your tiny pastas and pour in enough vegetable stock to cover everything comfortably — the pasta will absorb a lot of liquid as it cooks, so be generous. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer and leave it to cook for around ten to twelve minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through and the soup has thickened to a consistency you’re happy with. If it gets too thick, just add a splash more stock. If it’s thinner than you’d like, let it bubble away for a few more minutes uncovered.
- Add the basil: roll up your fresh basil leaves into a tight bundle and slice them into a fine chiffonade (thin ribbons). Stir them through the soup just before serving — you want them to wilt gently in the heat rather than cook fully.
- Serve: Ladle into a bowl and finish with a generous sprinkle of parmesan, a handful of salt and pepper croutons for a bit of crunch, and/or a slab of focaccia on the side. Eat immediately, ideally on the sofa… ideally when it’s raining outside.
a few notes…
On the pasta: tiny pastas are the move here. They cook quickly, soak up all that flavour, and give the soup a lovely texture. If you can’t find cocciolette, ditalini or stelline are my next picks.
On the garlic: I use smoked garlic because it adds a depth of flavour that regular garlic doesn’t quite match in this dish. If you can’t get it, regular garlic works fine, of course. Most supermarkets will have chopped smoked garlic, though. It’s a great option as it’s ready-to-go, no chopping required. I always keep a jar in my fridge for garlic-related emergencies — yes, that’s a thing in my house.
On the sumac: if you’ve never cooked with sumac before, this is a lovely introduction to it. It has a tangy, slightly citrusy flavour that works beautifully with the richness of the sundried tomatoes. You’ll find it in most supermarkets now, usually in the spice aisle.
On the croutons: I make mine by roughly tearing slightly stale bread into chunks. Toss them in olive oil, salt, and plenty of cracked black pepper, and whack them into the air fryer at 180°C for around ten minutes, or until golden and crispy. It’s also a great way of using up crusts (toddler mums iykyk) or the heels of the loaf that no one wants.
On the focaccia: I’ll be sharing my foolproof focaccia recipe soon. In the meantime, a good shop-bought one will absolutely do the job.
make it your own…
This soup is very forgiving and very adaptable. A few variations worth trying:
- Add a tin of white beans (cannellini work beautifully) for extra protein and creaminess
- Stir in a handful of spinach or kale at the end of cooking for some greenery
- A spoonful of cream or crème fraîche stirred through at the end makes it extra luxurious
- Swap the parmesan for a good vegan alternative, and it’s fully plant-based.
If you make this, I’d love to see it! Come find me on Instagram and tag me. And if you’re looking for more cosy recipes, check out the cooking archive.