Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
This rich and creamy Tomato Basil Soup is loaded with flavor and vegetables, offering a delicious, restaurant-quality taste that's sure to impress. Perfect as an appetizer or main course!
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Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 ribs celery, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the carrots, onion, and celery. Sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, and dried basil to the pot. Stir well, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and let it cook for several minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Use an immersion blender or a regular blender (you may need to blend in batches) to puree the soup until smooth. This step is optional if you prefer a chunkier texture. Return the soup to the pot.
- In a separate pan, make the roux. Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly for about 10 minutes until it turns a golden brown color.
- Add a ladleful of the soup to the roux mixture. It will thicken into a paste. Continue adding a few more scoops of soup, stirring well until smooth. Then, combine the roux mixture back into the soup pot and stir to incorporate.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional oregano or basil as needed. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes to heat through.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Slow Cooker: Combine the diced tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, and basil in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, until the vegetables are soft and the flavors have blended. Then proceed with step 3.
- Instant Pot: This recipe can also be made in the Instant Pot. Follow the same process but cook on the soup setting for about 10 minutes.
- Freezer Instructions: To freeze the soup, leave out the cream and shredded cheese before freezing. Add them after reheating to prevent curdling when thawed.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour as a substitute for regular flour.