Creamy Tomato Soup
This plus grilled cheese equals the greatest duo in comfort food history. Don't overthink it. You don't need to add sixteen ingredients or roast anything for two hours. You need good canned tomatoes,
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped
- plus more for serving)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper
Method
Step 1: Cook the aromatics
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes
- Pour in both cans of tomatoes with their juices. Add the chicken broth, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. The sugar is important — it balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes without making the soup sweet. Start with one tablespoon and taste; add more if your tomatoes are particularly tart.
Step 3: Blend and finish
- Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree until smooth. No immersion blender? Transfer carefully to a regular blender in batches — don't fill it more than half full with hot liquid or you'll have a tomato soup volcano on your ceiling. Remove from heat, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.