I have several recipes for tomato soup. Through most of my life I have hated tomato soup which I really believe is due to a childhood memory of a baby-sitter who used to make the Campbell's stuff every lunch and force me to eat it all. The Campbell's stuff will still make me gag, but I have had actual tomato soup made from scratch and it has been outstanding. So here are some versions.
This uses carrots to mellow and sweeten the soup, toning down the acidity of the tomatoes. I think cooked carrots are delicious. The writeup mentions that you can adjust the amount of cream as you desire. As I usually do, I've saved the recipe as a PDF.
Click Here for the SE Tomato Soup recipe.
Their overview of making it is also worth reading, click here for the writeup.
This soup requires fresh garden tomatoes so it's not as versatile as the others. However, I grow a lot of tomatoes in summer so it could be useful at the right time of the year. This one uses sour cream and half-and-half.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (about 5 cups; see NOTE)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the butter and olive oil until the butter foams. Add the onion, garlic and salt, and lightly season with pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, the water and honey. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring a few times, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
3. Using an immersion (stick) blender, puree the soup in the pot, leaving it as smooth or as chunky as you like. Alternatively, working in batches, process the soup in a blender, replacing the center knob of the lid with a paper towel (so the steam can escape). Return the soup to the pot and set it over low heat.
4. Whisk in the sour cream and the half-and-half and cook, stirring a few times, until the flavors have melded, about10 minutes.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the basil leaves, if using, and serve hot.
Found on a "Daily Meal" website but I'm not sure what directed me to the website. This also uses canned tomatoes and carrots.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
32 ounces chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream, optional ("optional". Ha ha.)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
8 ounces ravioli, mini preferred
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add onions and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden brown, about 6-7 minutes.Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, until golden.
2. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, celery salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
3. Add fresh basil leaves to the pot. Purée mixture either using an immersion blender or pour into a high-powered blender until smooth. If using a blender, return mixture to the pot.
4. Bring soup to simmer again. Add ravioli to the pot and cook for the amount of time on the package directions until al dente. Add cream if using, stir to combine.
Optional: garnish with fresh basil leaves, croutons, a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.