The end of the tomato growing season signals the end of summer (sob) but it also means a glut of tomatoes (yay). One of the many ways I’ve been using them up is by trying out various soup recipes and this is one of the tastiest - the addition of ginger gives it warmth and a hint of chilli brings a real kick of heat.

This recipe is not only delicious, it’s a powerhouse bowl full of nutrients and here are a couple of reasons why:

Tomatoes Packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, the tomato is most renowned for a versatile caretenoid called lycopene, responsible for the tomato’s vivid red colour. A hefty amount of research has focused on lycopene’s potentially protective effect against prostate cancer (Rowles et al 2017), but evidence suggests tomatoes may reduce the risk of other common cancers and cardiovascular disease (Petyaev et al 2018).

Ginger A natural anti-inflammatory, ginger also has significant antioxidant properties (Wang et al 2014), which may explain its reputation as a restorative folk remedy.

Ingredients

Makes 6-8 servings

2 tbsp light olive oil

2 leeks

5cm piece of ginger

1 red chilli (remove seeds for less heat)

1 glove garlic, chopped

1 heaped tsp turmeric

3-4 small carrots, diced

1kg tomatoes, chopped (use any variety)

1.5l vegetable stock

Instructions

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add leeks and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes. Add turmeric and carrots and stir well then cook for a further minute.

Add tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for around 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

Allow to cool slightly then blend. Add seasoning to taste.

Add chickpeas or white beans and heat through before serving to add protein.