Chilled tomato and fresh basil soup recipe. A refreshing and easy starter for your next BBQ!

This is such a refreshing and delicious started for any summer meal, but works really well as a starter before a summertime backyard BBQ!

This soup can be assembled in about 5 minutes and left to chill a bit in the fridge while you get the rest of the meal ready.

This is a very low calorie and nutritious soup, but it certainly doesn't taste as though you are sacrificing flavor for health here!

This soup is great chilled, but if you don't have time, just serve it a room temperature, and it will still be great!

Chilled tomato and fresh basil soup

2 lb of fresh and luscious fragrant tomatoes (this recipe is all about the tomato, and is only really worth doing if you've got really good tasty tomatoes).

¼ of a small onion

4 Tbls fresh basil

3 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

2-3 Tbls red wine or balsamic vinegar

Sat and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Pop all your tomatoes in a blender with the onion, and puree until smooth. Strain to get rid of any skin, or don't bother, if you don't mind the tiny flecks of tomato skin throughout.

Add the olive oil and 2 Tbls of the vinegar, and add salt and pepper to taste. The amount of vinegar will depend on the acidity of the tomatoes, but you are looking for a good balance, a rich tomato flavor with the complex sour undertone of the vinegar. Add more to taste.

Chill for an hour or more until you are ready to serve.

Ladle into bowls and top with the basil leaves, sliced as finely as possible. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and serve.

This soup cries out for great flavorful crusty bread. If you are BBQing, try rubbing a bit of olive oil on cut slices, and grilling until browned and crisped. Rub the grilled bread with a cut clove of garlic and serve with the soup.

This soup is what makes summer eating so great. Quick fresh and flavorful; using the best of local produce. Try this 5 minute recipe!