Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato soup is one of those foods that brings back all sorts of childhood feelings. When I was a kid, we ate our soup prepared from a can as a side to a grilled cheese sandwich. I have specific memories of eating this “fancy” meal with my siblings and neighborhood kids in the summer or after building a snowman outside in the winter. As an adult I still enjoy tomato soup, but now it takes center stage with garden fresh produce and the grilled cheese is a side. I like to freeze several batches to enjoy year-round. No more opening cans for this veggie lover!

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The key to getting a nice smooth texture to this tomato soup (a must for your picky eaters) is to use an immersion blender. You can also put the soup in a counter-top blender, but this is a more difficult process and extra care is needed to avoid burns. If you have been following many of my other recipes, you know that I have been singing the praises of an immersion blender for a while. It is a must have utensil in my kitchen!

Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

A smooth, fresh soup that invokes all those childhood feelings! Serve with grilled cheese or quesadillas.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Soup

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups chopped yellow onions About 2 very large onions
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 12 cups chopped tomatoes Any kind works. No need to peel
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bunch basil leaves finely chopped, reserve a couple whole leaves for garnish
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Prep all of your ingredients prior to starting to cook. Reserve a couple of whole basil leaves for garnish.
• In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until they've started to soften.
• Add the balsamic and garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes and basil and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the broth and bring the mixture back to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sliced fresh basil.

Notes

If you prefer your tomato soup to be creamy, stir in a couple of tablespoons of heavy whipping cream.

To freeze: let the soup completely cool then transfer to quart or gallon-sized freezer bags (I prefer to use silicone reusable bags). Lay flat in the freezer. When you are ready to use, remove from the freezer the night before and allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. 

Keyword basil, soup, tomatoes