Fresh Tomato Soup with Macaroni (Fersk Tomatsuppe med Makaroni)

Aug 14, 2024

I will admit that tomatsuppe med makaroni (tomato soup with macaroni pasta) isnโ€™t a dish that Norwegians will typically make from scratch. Rather, itโ€™s one of those meals that comes in a ready-made package and then water is just added with some boiled pasta.  

This is most likely because Norwayโ€™s cold climate makes growing tomatoes challenging. They taste sour and bland, which is why I never fancied tomatoes as a young girl. 

You can imagine my surprise when I got to taste ripe tomatoes in season on my first trip to Greece, or when I came over to the United States in the warmer climate in California. I was sold!

Now, decades later, living in New York with my own tomato garden, this time of year I just want to put tomatoes on and in everything. Soup, pasta, pizza, bread, muffins, saladsโ€ฆyou name it!

Growing up in Norway in the 70s and 80s, tomatsuppe med makaroni was considered one of those โ€˜modern mealsโ€™ in my house because my mom made everything from scratch. So for us to eat packaged anything was, wellโ€ฆa treat and a bit exciting!

After moving to a country where tomatoes can grow to full ripeness, and becoming a professional chef, I canโ€™t very well resort to any packaged or canned tomato soup. 

Letโ€™s make tomato soup from scratch! 

The key to making fresh tomato soup is to preserve the tomato flavor and not add too many other ingredients. 

Simply start by sauteing a little onion or shallots, a few garlic cloves, and some fresh herbs like thyme and oregano, and let the tomatoes take over from there. 

If you want to add a little cream towards the end to make it richer, you can. I prefer keeping it fresh and it will still be creamy from pureeing the soup at the end using an immersion stick blender. 

Serve with your favorite crusty loaf of bread. I served my tomato soup with a bread stuffed with sundried tomatoes, olives, roasted garlic, and feta. 

This recipe will be exclusively featured in my upcoming seasonal bundle later this fall. Stay tuned!

Fresh Tomato Soup with Macaroni (Fersk Tomatsuppe med Makaroni)

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (or 2 large shallots), peeled and diced
2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 sprig fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried), stem removed, leaves chopped
2-3 sprigs thyme, stem removed, leaves chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 lbs (1ยฝ kg) fresh, ripe tomatoes, cored, and diced
2-3 cups water (or as necessary)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz (170 g) macaroni, cooked according to package directions, and drained
Fresh herbs and drizzle of olive oil

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of sea salt and sautรฉ until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute or so. 

Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the garlic and onions. Sautรฉ for another minute then add the oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and water with another couple of pinches of sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until tomatoes are broken down and the soup starts to slightly thicken.

While the soup is simmering, cook the macaroni pasta according to the package directions minus 1-2 minutes (it should be al dente because the pasta will continue cooking once added to the soup). Drain and set aside.

Once the soup has thickened, purรฉe using an immersion stick blender until desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Add the cooked macaroni to the blended soup.

Heat through and serve with your favorite bread!

More Recipes To Tryโ€ฆ

Brennsnut

Creamy Broccoli Dill Pickle Soup

Creamy Potato Soup (Potetsuppe)

Fresh Tomato Soup with Macaroni (Fersk Tomatsuppe med Makaroni)

The key to this fresh vegan tomato soup with macaroni pasta recipe is to preserve the tomato flavor and not add too many other ingredients. Simply start by sauteing a little onion, garlic, and some fresh herbs then let the tomatoes take over.
Print Pin Rate
Author: Sunny Gandara | Arctic Grub

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion (or 2 large shallots), peeled and diced
  • 2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried), stem removed, leaves chopped
  • 2-3 sprigs thyme, stem removed, leaves chopped
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 3 lbs (1ยฝ kg) fresh, ripe tomatoes, cored, and diced
  • 2-3 cups water (or as necessary)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 oz (170 g) macaroni, cooked according to package directions, and drained
  • Fresh herbs and drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of sea salt and sautรฉ until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute or so.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the garlic and onions. Sautรฉ for another minute then add the oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and water with another couple of pinches of sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until tomatoes are broken down and the soup starts to slightly thicken.
  • While the soup is simmering, cook the macaroni pasta according to the package directions minus 1-2 minutes (it should be al dente because the pasta will continue cooking once added to the soup). Drain and set aside.
  • Once the soup has thickened, purรฉe using an immersion stick blender until desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Add the cooked macaroni to the blended soup and heat through.Serve with your favorite bread!

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Pin It on Pinterest

Arctic Grub
Happy Earth Day from Arctic Grub! ๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด๐ŸŒ

Friends, as we celebrate our beautiful planet today, Iโ€™ve been reflecting on my journey with Arctic Grub and why I decided to shift toward plant-based Norwegian cuisine.

Visiting my hometown a few years ago, I noticed something that gave me pause - despite Norwayโ€™s deep connection to nature, our food habits were increasingly centered around animal products. 

This trend worried me, not just for our health but for the breathtaking fjords, mountains, and forests that define our homeland.

The Norway I grew up in taught me that we are caretakers of nature, not just consumers of it. 

This Earth Day, Iโ€™m reminded that our traditional Norwegian food culture has always included incredible plant-based ingredients - from wild berries and mushrooms to hearty root vegetables that sustained generations through long winters.

Making Arctic Grub plant-based wasnโ€™t about rejecting tradition - it was about honoring the best parts of it. You can still enjoy your favorite Norwegian dishes while being kind to the planet. 

My vegan lefse, plant-based Norwegian Christmas cookies, and mushroom-based ยซmeatballsยป keep the flavors we love while giving the Earth a little break.

Whether youโ€™re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or simply curious, I invite you to celebrate Earth Day by trying just one plant-based Norwegian recipe. 

The planet gives us such incredible gifts - vibrant vegetables, nourishing grains, sweet berries - and cooking with them connects us to the earth in the most fundamental way.

Whatโ€™s your favorite plant-based Norwegian dish? Iโ€™d love to hear in the comments!

#earthday2025 #plantbasednorwegianfood #norwegiantraditions #celebrateearth #arcticgrub
God pรฅske - Happy Easter - to all my readers who celebrate!

Hope youโ€™re enjoying the holiday and have something Scandinavian-inspired on your plate ๐Ÿ™‚

#NorwegianEaster #godpรฅske #arcticgrub
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด Norwegian Easter Brunch Essentials - Now Available On-Demand! ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด

Did you miss our live Easter class this past weekend? Iโ€™ve got great news! 

You can now grab the Easter Brunch Essentials class on-demand along with all the class materials. 

Get instant access and grab the class today, just in time for your Easter celebration!

โœจ Learn to create stunning plant-based versions of Norwegian classics including:

๐Ÿ’› ๐‘ฝ๐’†๐’ˆ๐’‚๐’ โ€œ๐‘ฌ๐’ˆ๐’ˆ ๐‘บ๐’‚๐’๐’‚๐’…โ€
๐Ÿ’› ๐‘ท๐’Š๐’„๐’Œ๐’๐’†๐’… ๐‘ด๐’–๐’”๐’•๐’‚๐’“๐’… โ€œ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€
๐Ÿ’› ๐‘ท๐’Š๐’„๐’Œ๐’๐’†๐’… ๐‘ช๐’–๐’“๐’“๐’š โ€œ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€
๐Ÿ’› ๐‘ท๐’Š๐’„๐’Œ๐’†๐’… ๐‘ถ๐’“๐’‚๐’๐’ˆ๐’† โ€œ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€
๐Ÿ’›๐‘ฑ๐’–๐’Š๐’„๐’š ๐‘ถ๐’“๐’‚๐’๐’ˆ๐’† ๐‘ช๐’‚๐’Œ๐’† ๐’˜๐’Š๐’•๐’‰ ๐’‚๐’ ๐‘ถ๐’“๐’‚๐’๐’ˆ๐’† ๐‘ฎ๐’๐’‚๐’›๐’†

Just look at this spread from our class! The plant-based โ€œpickled herringโ€ selections are the perfect savory centerpiece for your Easter table as topping for those whole grain Norwegian slices of bread - no one will believe itโ€™s completely plant-based! 

Those colorful toppings and delicate dill garnishes bring all the traditional Norwegian flavors without any animal products.

And that juicy orange cake? 

Itโ€™s absolutely bursting with citrus flavor, perfectly moist with that signature dense-yet-light texture. The vibrant orange color brings such a cheerful spring feeling to your Easter table!

Donโ€™t miss this opportunity to impress your guests with unique Norwegian dishes while learning professional plant-based techniques youโ€™ll use year-round.

๐ŸŒฑ Link in bio to purchase the on-demand class or comment EASTER! ๐ŸŒฑ

#NorwegianEaster #PlantBasedCooking #EasterBrunch #VeganNordicFood #CookingClass #EasterMenu #HolidayCooking #PlantBasedHoliday #arcticgrub
In Norway, Palm Sunday (Palmesรธndag) marks the beginning of Holy Week (or ยซQuiet Weekยป as itโ€™s also called), but with our own Nordic twist! 

Since palm trees donโ€™t exactly thrive in our climate, Norwegians have long used budding birch branches (gรฅsunger) as our ยซpalm branchesยป - a beautiful adaptation of the tradition. We decorate them with colored feathers and candy among other items.

Today Iโ€™m honoring this day with my plant-based take on a special fried type of Berlinerboller.

These light, fluffy buns were traditionally eaten during the pre-Lenten celebration of Fastelavn, but have become a beloved Easter treat too as they have been a symbol of celebrating the return of the sun after a dark winter. So delicious!! 

My version is of course 100% plant-based but equally delicious as the original version! 

Get the recipe link in my bio and join me all week as I explore Norwayโ€™s Easter food traditions through a plant-based lens. 

Also... our Norwegian Easter Brunch Essentials cooking class yesterday was amazing!

Itโ€™s now available on-demand - so you can access it instantly!  Link in bio ๐Ÿ™‚

Did your family have any special Palm Sunday traditions? Weโ€™d love to hear about them in the comments!

#PalmeSรธndag #NorwegianTraditions #PlantBasedNorway #VeganEaster #NordicFood #PรฅskeMat #arcticgrub #Norwegianrecipes #veganskpรฅske
Our Norwegian Easter Brunch Essentialsclass is TOMORROW! ๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒท๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด

Iโ€™m so excited to share these special recipes with you, and there are still a few spots available if you havenโ€™t registered yet.

If youโ€™re on the fence, hereโ€™s what youโ€™ll miss if you donโ€™t join us:

 ๐Ÿฐ Serve a show-stopping Easter menu โ€“ Impress your guests with unique dishes theyโ€™ve never tried before

 ๐Ÿฐ The answer to menu indecision โ€“ End the โ€œwhat should I make for Easter?โ€ stress with a complete, tested menu that stands out from the usual ham, lamb and deviled eggs

 ๐Ÿฐ Master the art of plant-based cooking โ€“ Learn professional techniques that elevate flavors and textures making plant-based versions taste much better than the originals

 ๐Ÿฐ Eliminate kitchen stress โ€“ Discover make-ahead strategies so you can actually enjoy your holiday and be present with your guests

 ๐Ÿฐ Cook with purpose โ€“ Discover the rich cultural traditions behind each dish, transforming every meal into a meaningful experience. Gain a deeper appreciation for the stories that make food so much more than just nourishment.

Remember as a registrant, youโ€™ll get the recording to watch at your convenience. But live attendees get to ask questions in real-time and receive personalized feedback!

Make this Easter extra tasty and join the Norwegian Easter Brunch Essentials class now!

Comment EASTER or find link in bio! ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด

#eastercookingclass #norwegianeasterrecipes #norwegianeaster #arcticgrub #plantbasedeasterdishes
I love this old bread box we have at my family cabin back home in Norway ๐Ÿ˜

Iโ€™m writing this as Iโ€™m getting ready to set some whole grain Norwegian bread doughs tonight that Iโ€™ll bake tomorrow in preparation for all the amazing pickled โ€œherringโ€ dishes weโ€™ll make in Saturdayโ€™s Norwegian Easter Brunch Essential class.

These dishes are PERFECT on open face sandwiches, as condiments to main dishes and to add flavor and kick to pretty much any breakfast and lunch.

Youโ€™re thinking: But โ€œherringโ€ and vegan doesnโ€™t go together!

โ€œWaitโ€”thatโ€™s vegan?!โ€ ๐Ÿ˜ฎ Thatโ€™s the reaction youโ€™ll get when you serve my plant-based โ€œherringโ€ trio at your Easter gathering!

In Saturdayโ€™s class, Iโ€™ll show you how to create three distinctive Norwegian ๐’”๐’Š๐’๐’…๐’†๐’”๐’‚๐’๐’‚๐’•๐’†๐’“ (herring salads) that capture authentic flavors using plant-based ingredients:

๐‘ช๐’“๐’†๐’‚๐’Ž๐’š ๐’Ž๐’–๐’”๐’•๐’‚๐’“๐’… โ€œ๐’‰๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€ - a classic on all Scandinavian smorgasbords - with just the right tender kick

๐‘ช๐’–๐’“๐’“๐’š-๐’Š๐’๐’‡๐’–๐’”๐’†๐’… โ€œ๐’‰๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€ - balancing tradition with exotic spice, a modern favorite in Norway and Sweden

๐‘ช๐’Š๐’•๐’“๐’–๐’”-๐’Ž๐’‚๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’‚๐’•๐’†๐’… โ€œ๐’‰๐’†๐’“๐’“๐’Š๐’๐’ˆโ€ - brightened with fresh orange, a favorite ingredient during Easter in Norway!

These recipes have been perfected through years of professional cookingโ€”and now theyโ€™re yours! 

Ready to impress your guests and get your Nordic cooking on this Easter? This is your sign!

Link in bio or comment EASTER to join us! ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด

#Eastercookingclass #Norwegianrecipes #norwegiantraditions #plantbasedpickledherring #ArcticGrub