Tamatar Shorba (Spiced Tomato & Vegetable Soup)
A light, tangy Indian tomato broth simmered with vegetables, cumin, black pepper and a hint of ginger and garlic, finished with fresh cilantro. Warming and refreshing at once.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the tomato broth
In a pot, simmer the tomatoes, garlic and ginger in the water over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and falling apart. Blend until smooth, then strain through a sieve to get a clear broth.
- 800g tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 800ml water
✅ Done when: tomatoes are fully soft and the blended broth pours smoothly through the sieve
Cook the vegetables
In a separate pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the carrot and celery (or zucchini) and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery or zucchini
✅ Done when: cumin smells toasted and the carrot and celery start to soften at the edges
Simmer
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Serve
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Make the tomato broth
In a pot, simmer the tomatoes, garlic and ginger in the water over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and falling apart. Blend until smooth, then strain through a sieve to get a clear broth.
- 800g tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 800ml water
✅ Done when: tomatoes are fully soft and the blended broth pours smoothly through the sieve
Cook the vegetables
In a separate pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the carrot and celery (or zucchini) and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery or zucchini
✅ Done when: cumin smells toasted and the carrot and celery start to soften at the edges
Simmer
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
'Shorba' comes from a Persian word for soup or broth, and the term arrived in India with Mughal cooking. Tamatar shorba — a thin, spiced tomato soup — became a classic starter in North Indian restaurants and hotels in the 20th century.
It's lighter than Western tomato soups, often served in small cups before a meal.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Tangy, light and warming, it's a perfect starter or a soothing bowl on a cold day.
💡 Fun Fact
Tomatoes only arrived in India with the Portuguese in the 16th century, yet today India is one of the world's biggest tomato producers.
North India
28.61°N, 77.21°E
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