Description
This creamy tomato soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring a rich blend of sautéed onions, garlic, San Marzano crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and a touch of cream and parmesan cheese. Perfect as a starter or light meal, this soup balances acidity with sweetness and a smooth, velvety texture achieved by blending.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cups finely chopped yellow onions (about 2 large onions)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
Soup Ingredients
- 56 oz crushed tomatoes with juice (two 28-oz cans, preferably San Marzano)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for serving
- 1 Tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
Finishing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or to taste)
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat a nonreactive pot or enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter, then the chopped onions. Sauté the onions for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and golden. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, and chopped basil. Add sugar and black pepper, adjusting the sugar to taste if needed. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Blend Soup (Optional): For a creamy texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup to your desired consistency. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and pulse carefully to avoid overfilling with hot liquid, blending until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot over medium heat.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Stir in the heavy whipping cream and grated parmesan cheese. Return the soup to a gentle simmer. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, then turn off the heat.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use San Marzano tomatoes for a richer, sweeter flavor.
- Adjust sugar quantity to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- The soup can be served chunky or fully blended depending on preference.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: creamy tomato soup, tomato soup recipe, Italian soup, comfort food, easy tomato soup, basil tomato soup, parmesan tomato soup
