Ok, friends, I don't want to hear about any of you buying tomato soup when you can make this soup. It's delicious, fast, and easy! This recipe calls for fresh basil, but I almost always uses a combo of dried basil and basil paste from a tube (can buy at Aldi). I always serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, which you dunk in the soup.
No Excuses Quick Homemade Tomato Soup
4 Tbsp butter
2 yellow onions (approximately 3 cups finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves, minced
56 oz crushed tomatoes, (two, 28-oz cans) with their juice
2 cups chicken stock
1 TBSP dried basil + 1 TBSP squeeze basil (or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped)
1 Tbsp sugar, or added to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more to serve
Instructions
Heat an enameled dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter then add chopped onions. Sauté 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
Add crushed tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, chopped basil, sugar, and black pepper. Stir together and bring to a boil then reduce heat, partially cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
You can leave your soup with a chunky consistency, but if you like a blended/creamy soup, use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot to desired consistency or transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth (being careful not to over-fill the blender with hot liquid) then return to pot.
Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and top with cheese. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.
