Tomato Soup Silky Warm (Printable)
Silky tomato blend with onions, basil, and a hint of cream, ready in about 40 minutes for a cozy, light meal.
# 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)
# Steps:
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 another 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 and let it simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
04 - Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until velvety smooth. Alternatively, transfer to a countertop blender in batches and blend until silky.
05 - If using, stir in the heavy cream or milk. Warm the soup through gently but do not bring to a boil.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ripe tomatoes do all the heavy lifting here, so the flavor is honest and deep without fuss.
- It freezes beautifully, which means you can have summer in a bowl long after the garden has frozen over.
02 -
- Blending hot soup in a countertop blender can be dangerous if you fill it too full, so always work in small batches and hold the lid down with a towel.
- Roasting the tomatoes and carrot before adding them changes the flavor entirely in the best way, so try it when you have the extra time.
03 -
- The biggest secret is patience during the simmer because those twenty minutes are when the tomatoes transform from watery to rich and concentrated.
- Always season at the very end because reduction changes the salt level and you cannot undo too much.