Description
This Quick and Easy Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish made with simple ingredients like crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and a touch of cream. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup combines slow-cooked onions and garlic with savory chicken stock, then is puréed to a silky smooth texture. Topped with Parmesan cheese and aromatic basil, it’s an ideal recipe for a delicious homemade soup in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups good-quality chicken stock
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, about 1/2 tablespoon or to taste
Finishing Touches
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 bunch basil, torn into small bite-size pieces
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add chopped onions and season generously with kosher salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and starting to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add Tomatoes and Stock: Stir in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, using about 1/2 tablespoon for a slight kick. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for at least 15 minutes. The soup can be left to simmer longer if needed.
- Purée the Soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender and purée, then return the blended soup back to the pot.
- Add Cream and Basil: Stir in the heavy cream and torn basil leaves. Let the soup simmer for at least another 15 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly and develop deeper flavor.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the soup hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of black pepper, and a chiffonade of fresh basil for a beautiful presentation and added flavor.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock and replace heavy cream with coconut cream or cashew cream.
- Using high-quality chicken stock and ripe tomatoes enhances the soup’s flavor significantly.
- The soup thickens as it simmers after adding cream – if too thick, add a splash of stock or water to reach desired consistency.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is recommended for garnish due to its superior flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
