Tomato Soup (Printable)
Silky tomato soup of ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil; blended smooth and served warm. Cream optional.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
→ Liquids
05 - 3 ⅓ cups vegetable broth
→ Seasonings
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
08 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil or a few fresh basil leaves (plus extra for garnish)
→ Optional
11 - ¼ cup heavy cream or milk (for creaminess)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrot; sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they begin to break down and release their juices.
03 - Pour in the vegetable broth and add the basil, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
04 - Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until silky smooth. Alternatively, transfer to a countertop blender in batches and blend until velvety.
05 - If using, stir in the heavy cream or milk. Warm the soup through gently over low heat, but do not bring to a boil.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It turns sad, overripe tomatoes into the most velvety, comforting bowl of warmth you can imagine.
- The whole thing comes together in one pot with zero fancy technique, which means almost no cleanup.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can stash portions for those nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- Never rush the sauté step, because those softened vegetables are where the depth of flavor really begins.
- If you are using a regular blender, never fill it more than halfway with hot soup and hold the lid down firmly with a towel.
03 -
- The single most important thing you can do is use the best tomatoes you can find, because nothing else can compensate for flavorless ones.
- A final drizzle of really good olive oil over each bowl right before serving adds a fruity richness that nobody will guess came from such a simple step.