Peel the onion and chop it roughly. Peel the garlic, wash the basil leaves and have the passata ready.
Warm the olive oil in a saucepan and briefly soften the onion and garlic until both smell fragrant. Add the dried basil.
Stir in the passata and coconut milk and let everything simmer gently over a low to medium heat for a few minutes.
Blend the soup until smooth and creamy. If needed, simmer a little longer until the consistency is right.
Season with fresh basil or scatter it over just before serving.
Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh basil leaves.
Good to know
Sometimes a warm, creamy soup is all it takes to make the day feel calmer. This one is simple, soft in flavour and still full of taste.
Swaps
Coconut milk → cashew butter with water (a little more protein, creamy texture); onion → shallot (milder flavour, similar plant compounds); fresh basil → parsley (more vitamin K).
Allergens
The recipe is vegan and free from soya, gluten and nuts, but onion, garlic or coconut milk can sit heavier on a sensitive stomach; usually mild enough for children, and fine in pregnancy with fresh, well-washed ingredients.
