Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
Equipment
- 1 large blender we used a vitamix but any will do, alternatively you could use an immersion blender but the soup is a bit chunkier
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ¼ cup diced carrots
- 4 cloved garlic, minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (approximately 3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2-3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsely chopped I've made it both ways. The 3rd tablespoon gives it a slightly richer flavor.
- 2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes I've used salted and unsalted depending on what's available.
- 2½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste and depending on whether your diced tomatoes are salted. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and you can always add more.
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (omit if dairy-free)
Garlic Bread
- 4 gluten-free rolls or a baguette of choice we used Schar ciabatta rolls
- olive oil for brushing
- 4 tablespoons butter or dairy-free butter, melted
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced we love garlic so can't have too much but use according to tastes
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, needles coarsely chopped (do not use stem) -- approximately 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
- In a large dutch oven or sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering, not burning. Add diced onions and carrots and saute approximately 10 minutes or until tender.
- Add garlic and thyme, saute an additional minute.
- Mix in tomato paste. Then add in sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth and spices (everything else except fresh basil and parmesan) and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add in basil and let simmer 2-5 minutes just to wilt and release some flavor.
- Then using an immersion blender (for a chunkier soup) or a blender for a creamier soup, blend the ingredients until creamy. If using a blender, be careful spooning the soup into the blender as it will be hot and blend slowly by pulsing the soup. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do in batches but it fit in my Vitamix Blender easily.
- Carefully pour blended soup back into stovetop dutch oven or sauce pan, add parmesan cheese, stir to combine and let simmer 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Simple Garlic Bread
- Preheat oven to broil. Set aside a baking sheet.
- Slice rolls in halve lengthwise, then diagonally in half. If using a baguette, similarly slice lengthwise then into small pieces. Lightly brush top of bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute on top rack.
- Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt butter, then add garlic and rosemary and simmer over low heat. The objective is to warm and infuse the butter with the flavor but not to burn the garlic.
- Spoon garlic rosemary butter over the broiled bread evenly. Be careful, the baking sheet will be hot!
- Return to broil for an additional 1-2 minutes on top rack or until top of bread crisp and golden. By broiling it, the top and edges will crisp but the bottom and center will be warm and soft. Enjoy!