Tomato Soup, Silky Comfort (Printable)
Smooth tomato soup from sautéed tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil, finished with cream for extra silkiness.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, 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 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 onion, garlic, and carrot; sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add chopped tomatoes to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they begin to break down and release their juices.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth, then add basil, salt, pepper, and sugar if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
04 - Remove 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 heavy cream or milk. Warm the soup through gently but do not bring to a boil.
06 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It converts a pile of everyday tomatoes into something that tastes like it took far more effort than forty minutes.
- The texture comes out velvet smooth every single time if you blend patiently and do not rush the simmer.
02 -
- Once I tried rushing the simmer and cut it to ten minutes and the soup tasted flat and watery so those full twenty minutes really matter.
- Roasting the tomatoes and carrots on a sheet pan for twenty minutes before adding them transforms the flavor into something deeper and smokier with almost no extra effort.
03 -
- The riper and more fragrant your tomatoes are at the start the less seasoning you will need to add at the end so shop with your nose.
- A tiny drizzle of your best olive oil swirled across the top of each bowl right before serving makes it look and taste like it came from a restaurant.