Description
A comforting and flavorful Middle-of-Winter Tomato Soup made with sautéed onions and garlic, simmered diced tomatoes, broth, and aromatic herbs, blended to a smooth texture and optionally enriched with a splash of cream. Perfect for warming up on chilly days with fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Optional Ingredients
- Splash of heavy cream or half and half
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil – In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil to prepare for sautéing the vegetables.
- Sauté the onions – Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until they become translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic – Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings – Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice, the broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, dried basil, dried thyme, and smoked paprika. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Simmer the soup – Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Blend the soup – Remove the pot from heat and let cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth directly in the pot, or blend in batches in a regular blender and return to the pot.
- Adjust and finish – Return the soup to a gentle simmer, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. For a richer texture, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half and half.
- Serve – Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
Notes
- Using an immersion blender simplifies blending directly in the pot without transferring hot soup.
- You can substitute vegetable broth if you prefer a vegetarian version.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially if using broth with sodium.
- The soup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Optional cream adds richness but can be omitted for a lighter soup.
- Fresh basil leaves add bright aroma and color as garnish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: tomato soup, winter soup, easy soup recipe, creamy tomato soup, homemade tomato soup, vegetarian soup
