Add 1 secret ingredient to tomato soup to make it 'next level' - not cream

One "secret" ingredient while take your next attempt at a homemade tomato basil soup to the "next level", an expert says. This Spring has seen millions of Britons teased with days of balmy , only to be rudely interrupted by a return to cooler conditions of late.

And when you're coming in from the cold of an evening, there's nothing nicer than a hot, homely soup to warm you up. Homemade tomato basil soup is one of the easier dishes to make at home, but Marzia Aziz, a foodie and blogger behind the popular website, says a surprising ingredient could be a game changer.

Marzia's includes various elements you might expect, tomatoes (obviously), as well as onions, carrots, and garlic - but not cream.

She instead adds basil pesto, explaining that the "pine nuts and parmesan cheese from the pesto add such nice depth and creaminess that you'll forget about adding that heavy cream or half and half in and opt for this more flavorful/ healthier option instead".

Marzia says the parmesan in the pesto "also adds just the right amount of cheesiness to the soup without overpowering it".

The influential foodie adds two teaspoons of the basil pesto along with balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes after the have been blended into a puree and heated in a Dutch oven for five to seven minutes.

You can find her full recipe and all the ingredients you'll need .

Meanwhile, former and star has

Like Marzia's approach, all you need to do is chop and roast some veggies before blending them up to perfection.

Fans in the comments section were full of praise for the reality TV star's recipe, with one saying: "Love a good tomato soup, you seem like such a good cook."

Another wrote: "I had this the other day it was elite."