Creamy Tomato Soup
Creamy tomato soup made with canned San Marzano tomatoes, caramelized onion, and a splash of heavy cream, blended smooth in one pot.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (28 oz) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes with juices
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 parmesan rind optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches for serving
Instructions
- Caramelize the onion: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened with golden brown edges. Don't rush this part; it's where the sweetness comes from.
- Make the roux: Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste.
- Whisk in the broth: Pour in the chicken broth a little at a time, whisking after each addition until the flour is fully worked in and the liquid is smooth with no lumps.
- Simmer the tomatoes down: Crush the whole tomatoes by hand as you add them to the pot, juices and all. Stir in the sugar, salt, pepper, parmesan rind if using, and the basil. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom, until the tomatoes have fallen apart.
- Blend it smooth: Remove the parmesan rind. Blend the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender until it's as smooth as you like it. If you're using a countertop blender, cool it slightly and work in batches no more than half full, with the lid vented and covered by a towel.
- Add the cream: Stir in the heavy cream over low heat and warm through for 2 minutes without letting it boil. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar; canned tomato brands swing a lot in acidity.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls, tear a little extra basil over the top, and serve with crusty bread or a grilled cheese for dunking.
Notes
Cook the onion a full 10 minutes until the edges brown, then cook the flour into the butter for a minute before adding broth; that quick roux is what gives the soup body without extra cream. Keep the heat low once the cream goes in, since boiling dairy in an acidic tomato base will curdle it.