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–+ servings
bowl of roasted tomato soup with croutons
Print Recipe

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

A classic, creamy tomato soup for either fresh or canned tomatoes.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy tomato soup, roasted creamy tomato soup, what to do with whole canned tomatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 132kcal
Author: Katie

Ingredients

  • 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (or 20 small fresh tomatoes) cut in half, seeds mostly removed
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion finely
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water or reserved tomato juice
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons cooking sherry
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ tablespoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • pinch cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

Instructions

  • Roast the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 425 and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil.  Place tomatoes on the baking sheet, sprinkle the brown sugar on top, and roast for 30 minutes, until they look shriveled and the edges are starting to brown.  When they are done, allow them to cool slightly and then remove from the foil and set aside.  
    tomatoes on baking sheet before and after roasting.
  • Cook the onion. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until it foams, then add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.  
    saucepan with onions and tomato paste.
  • Add liquid and blend. Pour in the chicken broth and water slowly, whisking to combine.  Add the roasted tomatoes back into the soup.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Puree the soup right in the pot using an immersion blender, or puree in batches in the food processor (be careful not to splash yourself!)
    saucepan with immersion blender blending soup.
  • Add cream and seasoning. Add the cream, sherry, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne (if using), and heat for 15 minutes more.  Serve in bowls, topped with fresh basil.
    cream being added.

Notes

Be very careful if you are pureeing in the food processor.  Don't overload the bowl's capacity, and make sure hot soup does not splash in your face.
If you are using canned tomatoes in tomato juice, you can save some of the tomato juice and substitute it for the water.

Nutrition

Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 1033mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 437IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg