Hearty Garden Tomato Soup

Hearty Garden Tomato Soup that tastes like summer, even in winter. It's super satisfying and comes together in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 800 grams canned diced tomatoes
• 700 ml vegetable broth
• 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.125 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.25 cup heavy cream
• 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Wash and prepare the vegetables. Finely dice 1 medium onion. Finely chop 2 cloves garlic. Peel and finely dice 1 medium carrot. Finely dice 1 stalk celery.
2. Heat 1.5 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften.
4. Add the chopped garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
5. Pour in 800 grams canned diced tomatoes (undrained), 700 ml vegetable broth, 0.5 teaspoon dried basil, 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano, 0.125 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. Stir everything together.
6. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Stir occasionally.
7. Carefully remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Be very cautious as hot liquids expand.
8. Stir in 0.25 cup heavy cream until well combined and the soup is creamy. Heat gently for a few minutes if needed, but do not boil after adding cream.
9. Wash and chop 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves.
10. Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil leaves. Serve immediately.

View the interactive Hearty Garden Tomato Soup recipe