Tuna and Tomato Soup (Printable)

Quick Italian-inspired soup with canned tuna, ripe tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, and herbs in 25 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 can (5 oz) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Pantry

13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil, chopped, optional
15 - Crusty bread, optional

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
06 - Add flaked tuna and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
07 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley or basil, and serve with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's honest food that doesn't pretend to be fancier than it is, yet somehow tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • A can of tuna transforms from a pantry afterthought into something genuinely elegant when paired with tomatoes and herbs.
  • The whole thing fits into a weeknight without stress, leaving you time to actually enjoy dinner instead of being stuck at the stove.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sautéing of your vegetables—rushing this step or using cold broth means you lose the caramelization that gives the soup its depth and body.
  • The tuna goes in last and barely simmers because it's already cooked in the can, and your only job is to warm it through gently so it stays tender instead of turning into something the texture of cotton.
03 -
  • Don't drain the olive oil from your canned tuna—that fat carries flavor and helps create a silkier mouthfeel in the finished soup.
  • If you're making this for someone who's feeling under the weather, a bowl of this soup with extra broth feels like medicine that actually tastes good.
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