Spicy Tomato Soup

This deliciously simple soup is inspired by the dishes “Eggs in Purgatory” and the more traditional Shakshuka. I wanted to bring the smoky flavors of cumin and paprika to a tomato soup – to really give it some pep! And the perfectly poached eggs give it a great richness. This Spicy Tomato Soup is going to be your new favorite!

A lot of times when people hear “Spicy” they think it means “Hot” but that’s not always the case. For this soup – while yes the soup does have a little kick – it is not at all “melt your face off hot”. Spicy is more referring to the soup having lots of flavor from spices added. If you need to give it a little less kick – you could cut down or omit the red pepper flakes. If you wanted to turn it up a notch, you could increase the red pepper flakes or you could add in a little cayenne.

Poaching eggs used to be a daunting task for me. There are so many techniques and “tricks” out there that people swear by. The vinegar in the water, salt in the water, rolling boil vs simmer, put the ramekin in the pot and on and on. I have found that just using water at a steady boil is the easiest. I do use the “whirlpool” method – just to make sure you get a nice round, tight egg.

I served it with a slice of crusty bread with just a little butter on it, for dipping. You could certainly make up some grilled cheese sandwiches to go a long with it – maybe some sharp white cheddar with a little more spinach and feta on it? And yes soup can really be a whole dinner – some might need a second bowl but still it can be dinner. This soup could also make a great lunch or side dish. You could serve it with a beautiful steak or baked chicken.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Spicy Tomato Soup

A beautifully poached egg served in a smooth and creamy tomato soup – with a kick!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword egg, egg recipes, poached egg, soup, spicy, spinach, tomato soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 8 Eggs
• 1 cup Fresh Spinach cut in ribbons
• 1 cup Feta Cheese cumbled
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 4 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Yellow Onion minced
• 1 28oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
• 1 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 qt Chicken Broth
• 1 15oz can Tomato Puree
• 1 Red Bell Pepper diced small
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 cup Heavy Cream

Instructions

• In a large pot over medium high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes then add bell peppers and seasonings. Cook 3 minutes more and add tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover with lid, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook for 25 minutes. Begin water boiling for poached eggs in a small sauce pan.
• Break each egg into a small ramekin. Once water is boiling, employ the whirlpool technique of swirling the water as you gently pour an egg into the vortex. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Then remove egg to rinsed out ramekin. Repeat with each egg.
• Using an immersion blender, blitz soup to a smooth consistency. (if you do not want to do this inside your pot, you can remove it to bowl or even use a blender – just use caution if putting a lid on hot liquid) Stir in heavy cream and let cook another 5 minutes.
• Serve in large soup bowl or shallow bowl. Ladle soup into bowl, sprinkle with spinach and feta cheese. Gently place an egg or two on center of soup.