Tomato Cream Soup (Carrots)

tomatosouptoh Bursting with bright tomato flavour, this easy-to-make soup is the perfect partner for a gooey grilled cheese. When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to beat a bowl of tomato soup. This simple recipe features canned tomatoes, fresh vegetables and simple seasonings. Play around with the seasonings and toppings - fresh herbs, homemade croûtons and crumbled bacon are all delicious places to start.

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
¼-½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried basil
3 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes, peeled, undrained
1 (32 oz) container chicken stock
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup heavy whipping cream, optional

Toppings:
thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a 6 qt stockpot or Dutch oven, heat oil, butter and pepper flakes over medium heat until butter is melted. Add carrots and onion; cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and basil; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, to let flavors blend, 20-25 minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Using a blender, purée soup in batches until smooth. If desired, slowly stir in heavy cream, stirring continuously to incorporate. Return pan to stove to heat through.

Top servings with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes 16 servings (4 quarts).

Cook's Notes:

Variations:

Herb tomato soup: Instead of, or in addition to, basil, try dried sage, oregano, marjoram or thyme. An herb blend like Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence is also tasty.
Harissa tomato soup: To add sweet, tangy, spicy and smoky undertones to your tomato soup, add a tablespoon of harissa. This North African chili paste is made with dried chiles and warm spices.
Vegan tomato soup: For vegan tomato soup, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and use all olive oil in place of the butter. Skip the heavy cream or replace with full-fat unsweetened coconut milk.

Storage:

This soup makes four quarts (16 servings), so you’ll have leftovers unless you’re planning to feed a crowd. To store leftovers, allow the soup to cool completely, then keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Can you freeze tomato soup? Yes. Tomato soup is a perfect make-ahead freezer meal. To freeze, cool the soup completely. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. Label and freeze for up to three months.
How do you reheat tomato soup? To reheat a large serving, heat in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through, 10-15 minutes. If reheating individual servings, transfer to a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave for 1 minute, stir, then heat in 20-second increments until heated through.
To reheat from frozen, first thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then transfer to a saucepan and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you make tomato soup with fresh tomatoes? Yes. When your garden is bursting with fresh tomatoes.
What toppings can you put on tomato soup? Keep this soup simple by adding fresh basil, bread crumbs and cheese on top. (For the cheese, in addition to freshly grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, crumbled feta or goat cheese are all delicious options.) Croûtons add the perfect amount of crunch.
What can you serve with tomato soup? Is it even possible to serve tomato soup without at least half a grilled cheese sandwich on the side? Other tasty pairings include panini, crusty garlic bread, a green salad or fresh fruit salad.

Ingredients:

Olive oil and butter: Butter adds a ton of flavour. The oil helps increase the smoke point for sautéing vegetables. Use regular olive oil in this recipe; save the more delicate extra-virgin olive oil for flavour-forward non-cooked recipes. For a vegan soup, sub more olive oil for the butter.
Red pepper flakes: Crushed red pepper adds heat to the soup.
Vegetables: Carrots and onions add complex savoury flavours.
Tomatoes: This recipe calls for canned whole peeled tomatoes.
Chicken stock: Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of salt in the finished soup. For a vegetarian soup, simply substitute vegetable broth.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste helps deepen the tomato flavour in the soup.
Sugar: A touch of sugar adds a little sweetness to counterbalance the acidity in the tomatoes.
Seasonings: Enhance the soup’s flavour with garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
Heavy whipping cream: For an ultra-creamy tomato soup, don’t skip the heavy cream. To make vegan tomato soup, substitute full-fat unsweetened coconut milk. (Don’t worry, you won’t taste the coconut.)
Toppings: Add thinly sliced fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese to each bowl.

Nutritional Information:
Per 1 cup serving: 104 Calories, 5g fat (2g Saturated Fat), 6mg Cholesterol, 572mg Sodium, 15g Carbohydrate (10g Sugars, 2g Fiber), 3g Protein