Name: Tomato Basil Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 4 clove garlic cloves (minced); 2 can whole San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz each) (with juices); 2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ cup fresh basil leaves (packed, plus more for garnish); ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Aromatics
Aromatics:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion and cook for 6 minutes, until soft and lightly golden, then add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer
Simmer:
Add 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole San Marzano tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with a spoon. Stir in 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Blend
Blend:
Remove from the heat and add ½ cup fresh basil leaves. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
Finish and serve
Finish and serve:
Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and warm over low heat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, then serve the tomato basil soup topped with a few torn basil leaves.

Tips

San Marzano or other good-quality canned whole tomatoes make the biggest difference in flavor. The small amount of sugar balances the acidity; add up to 1 more teaspoon if your tomatoes are very tart. For a dairy-free tomato soup, use olive oil instead of butter and canned coconut milk instead of cream.