I only seem to crave tomato soup when tomatoes are out of season, probably because when tomatoes are at their peak, I prefer to enjoy them raw or only slightly cooked in order to savor their wonderful flavor. Now that soup season is here — and tomato season is gone — I rely on dependable canned San Marzano tomatoes to make my creamy tomato soup.
This soup is extremely easy to make: Just finely chop an onion, a carrot, a rib of celery, and three garlic cloves and saute them in a pot (in a little oil or water — your choice) until softened. Stir in 2 (28-ounce) cans of whole or diced tomatoes and their juice (the fire-roasted kind add extra flavor). Muir Glen is a good brand, although I can’t find it in my local supermarket, so I always get whatever brand of San Marzano tomatoes I can find and they always have a good flavor. Stir in a little vegetable base (I use Better than Bouillon brand) and salt and pepper, a little dried basil and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
For creaminess, you can go several different ways: add about 1 cup of chopped russet potato when you add the onions and other veggies; or: add about 3/4 cup of cooked brown rice when you add the tomatoes; or: add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your choice of cashew cream or vegan cream cheese during the next step:
When the vegetables are soft, transfer the soup, in batches if needed, to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth and creamy. If using cashew cream or vegan cream cheese, add it now and blend it in with the soup.
Transfer the soup back to the pot and taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. If it tastes too tart, add a pinch or two of sugar to balance the flavor. Add more salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, stir in some plain unsweetened almond milk or vegetable broth. If the soup is too thin, add additional pureed vegetables or other thickener. As with most soups, this one tastes better the next day, or at least after allowed to sit for a couple hours and then reheated.
I like this soup for how easy it is to make, and also for the bright tomato flavor afforded by the canned tomatoes. I served it with fresh tomato crostini and the out-of-season fresh tomato paled in comparison to the bright flavor of the soup.
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I am the same way about tomato soup, I only want it in the fall or winter! This soup looks great for a fall day!
I also only ever want tomato soup in Autumn! I think it’s because we always had it on Bonfire Night when I was growing up!
Robin, since you can’t find Muir Glen products in your local store, you might consider shopping for them online at http://www.Vitacost.com, where they cost far less than at most grocery stores, and all orders over $49 come with free shipping (Vitacost carries tons of other grocery items so it’s incredibly easy to meet the minimum). See http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?ntk=products&ss=1&Ntt=muir%20glen.
I never had tomato soup when I was growing up (or bonfires for that matter) but I do seem to crave it in the fall!
Interesting trick to add the rice for creaminess. I’ll have to try that!
I made this the other night. My husband and I both loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you loved it! Thanks for letting me know.