Description
Rich, comforting creamy tomato basil soup delivers classic Italian flavors with minimal ingredients. Smooth marinara blends with fresh herbs, creating a hearty meal perfect for home cooks seeking delicious comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (14 oz / 400 g) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1–2 cups milk, half and half, or heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 stalks celery, chopped into thirds
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into thirds
- ½ large onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsps butter
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tbsp dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Garnish (optional): freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep Aromatics: Mince celery, carrots, onion, and garlic into a uniform texture using a food processor or sharp knife, creating a flavor-rich foundation for the soup.
- Sauté Base: Heat butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add minced vegetables and cook until translucent and aromatic, roughly 4 minutes.
- Build Roux: Sprinkle flour over softened vegetables, stirring continuously to create a smooth thickening agent. Toast briefly to eliminate raw flour flavor.
- Develop Soup Body: Pour chicken broth while whisking to prevent lumps. Add fire-roasted tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, allowing vegetables to soften completely.
- Enrich and Cream: Incorporate Parmesan cheese, melting fully into the mixture. Blend in milk, half and half, or cream to create a luxurious, silky consistency. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Smooth Texture: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot or carefully transfer to a standard blender, processing until completely smooth. Take precautions to release steam and prevent splattering.
- Final Refinement: Discard bay leaf and adjust soup consistency with additional chicken broth or cream. Taste and modify seasonings to personal preference.
- Presentation: Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, creating an elegant and flavorful finishing touch.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Mince vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and balanced flavor distribution throughout the soup.
- Roux Mastery: Cook flour thoroughly to eliminate raw taste and create a smooth, silky base that thickens the soup perfectly.
- Blending Safely: Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer hot soup to a standard blender, always releasing steam to prevent dangerous splattering.
- Flavor Layering: Adjust seasonings gradually and taste repeatedly to build a rich, complex taste profile that enhances the soup’s creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg