Tomato soup is a comfort food from my childhood. Since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, there were plenty of cold and rainy days when soup seemed “just the thing” to make me feel a little warmer. We always kept a few cans on hand to complement some freshly grilled cheese sandwiches — with Tillamook cheese, of course! Unfortunately, there is no such thing to be found on the shelf in North Africa — or in most of the other places I have lived over the years. If I want tomato soup, I must make it myself. On the positive side, it is simple to make with ingredients that I usually already have on hand, and it is SO much better than the concentrated stuff from the can!

I started making tomato soup from scratch during the years I lived in Italy. Italians know how to take just a few ingredients and let those flavors shine.

Just follow these simple steps to delicious tomato soup:

Step 1:  Place a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add the olive oil and then the chopped onions. (I used shallots since they are currently easier for me to find.) Cook until the onions are soft, translucent, and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 more minutes until the garlic is soft.

Saute onions, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Step 2:  After opening the cans of tomatoes, cut them with a pair of kitchen shears while they are still in the can. This will prevent them from creating a mess once you get ready to puree them. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Crush any tomatoes with a spoon or spatula that were not broken when you cut them in the can. Add the broth or water. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.

Simmer broth and tomatoes

Step 3:  Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool down for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender (blend in small batches if using a regular blender since hot liquid expands) to puree the soup. BE VERY CAREFUL when using either the blender or immersion blender. You can easily end up spraying yourself or someone else with hot liquid! Keep the immersion blender below the level of the liquid to avoid spatters.

Puree until smooth

Step 4:  Return the saucepan of soup to medium-low heat and add the pepper. Stir in the heavy cream just before serving as well as salt to taste.

Gently stir in heavy cream and then salt and pepper to taste

Step 6:  Top with croutons or other garnishes. I topped the soup with creme fraiche and fresh basil, but pesto or a swirl of olive oil is also wonderful.

Enjoy!

Easy Tomato Soup

Joy Van Eaton Tomato soup is a comfort food from my childhood. Since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, there were plenty of cold and rainy days when soup seemed “just the thing” to make me feel a little warmer. We always kept a few cans on hand to complement some freshly grilled cheese sandwiches — with Tillamook cheese, […] Food Easy Tomato Soup European Print This

Serves: 4-6 Cooking Time: 30-45 minutes 30-45 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• a pinch of red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 2 - 15 oz. cans or 1 - 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes with their juice (preferably San Marzano)* Cut a few times with kitchen shears while the tomatoes are still in the can.
• 1 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth or water (instant bouillon cubes can be used, but taste before adding any more salt)
• salt to taste
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

1. Place a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add the olive oil and then the chopped onions. Cook until the onions are soft, translucent, and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook about 5 more minutes until the garlic is soft.
2. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Crush any tomatoes with a spoon or spatula that were not broken when you cut them in the can.
3. Add the broth or water. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.
4. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool down for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender (blend in small batches if using a regular blender since hot liquid expands) to puree the soup.
5. Return the saucepan of soup to medium-low heat and add the pepper. Stir in the heavy cream just before serving as well as salt to taste. Top with croutons or any of the garnishes listed below. I topped the soup with creme fraiche and fresh basil, but pesto or a swirl of olive oil is also wonderful.

Possible Garnishes: 

Creme Fraiche
Sour Cream
Pesto
Olive Oil
Croutons
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil

Notes

*I recommend San Marzano tomatoes because they are picked at the peak of ripeness, and therefore, require very little to be done with them out of the can. Other types of tomatoes tend to be more acidic and less flavorful. If you cannot find this Italian variety, you can use another kind, but you may need to add about a teaspoon of sugar to cut the acid. I also prefer whole tomatoes since they are not chemically treated to keep their shape.