For years I have been trying to master the right tomato soup recipe for my family. It must not be too chunky. It must not be too creamy. It must not be too acidic. It must not be too sweet. I never thought I would find a tomato soup that we would all love… until this week.
This tomato soup is all of our favorite flavors in the perfect merriment for our family. Chicken stock, whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and a little heavy cream are all mixed together. To cut the acidity, a pinch of sugar and a healthy dose of pesto round out the flavors.
We happened to have half of a loaf of crusty bread that had been neglected from a night of pasta eating. I decided to put the loaf to work and create crouton soup toppers to dress up our tomato soup. The kids loved this addition and my husband agreed that it made the soup filling and even more satisfying.
Bowls were scraped to the bottom.
Bellies were satisfied.
We all agreed that this tomato soup was the one we had been waiting for.
If you try it, I think you will agree.
Recipe:
Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup jarred pesto
Directions:
In a large pot saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for one minute. Add crushed tomatoes and the whole tomatoes (including their juices). Use your wooden spoon to break the whole tomatoes apart into the crushed tomatoes. Add your chicken or vegetable stock, salt, sugar, and pesto. Let this simmer for fifteen minutes. Turn your heat to low and then add the heavy cream. Garnish the soup with crouton toppers and Parmesan cheese.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serving Size: 8
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Recipe:
Crouton Soup Toppers
Ingredients:
1 loaf of stale bread (any variety)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Kosher salt or garlic salt (sprinkled liberally)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cube bread into desired size and toss into a bowl. Sprinkle all of the seasonings on top of your bread cubes. Drizzle olive oil over the cubes and then toss gently with your fingers. When all pieces have been coated, put cubes into a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Allow to cool. Place in an airtight container and these can be stored for up to weeks in this container.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Serving Size: 8