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cold weather comfort food: tomato soup

38 Pinches 21 Photos
Andy59 avatar
Wichita, KS
Updated on Feb 3, 2016

I’ve already posted a couple of recipes for tomato soup; however, for this one I wanted a good tomato-tasting soup without the dairy, and this is what I came up with. It’s got all the usual suspects for a good tomato soup, and a few extras, just to make it interesting. So, if it’s a cold and gloomy day, and you need a bit of comfort… here you go. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

prep time 20 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Stove Top
yield 6 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • PLAN/PURCHASE
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 tablespoon sweet butter, unsalted
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 8 ounces
  • 1 large carrot, diced, about 4 ounces
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced, about 3 ounces
  • 1 stalk celery, diced, about 2 ounces
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 pounds vine-fresh tomatoes, about 7 medium tomatoes
  • 6 cups fresh chicken stock, not broth
  • 10 ounces (1 can) tomato puree
  • 2 medium bay leaves
  • - salt, kosher variety, to taste
  • - black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
  • 1 medium lemon, just the juice

How To Make cold weather comfort food: tomato soup

  • Step 1
    PREP/PREPARE
  • Step 2
    Gather your ingredients.
  • Step 3
    Blanch, peel, and chop the tomatoes.
  • Step 4
    Chef’s Note: Blanching involves immersing the tomatoes into boiling water for about 20 seconds, and then dropping them into ice water. In the case of tomatoes, it makes the removal of skins easy peasy.
  • Step 5
    Add the olive oil and butter to a large pot over medium heat.
  • Step 6
    Chef’s Note: It should be large enough to hold all the ingredients for the soup.
  • Step 7
    When the foaming subsides, add the diced onions, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, the garlic, and the dried spices (basil, rosemary, thyme), and stir to combine.
  • Step 8
    Add the tomato paste.
  • Step 9
    Stir into the veggies.
  • Step 10
    Lower the heat to medium low, and allow the veggies to cook until they have softened, and release their moisture, about 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Step 11
    Chef’s Tip: Throw in a pinch of salt to get the process started.
  • Step 12
    Chef’s Note: Do not let the veggies overly brown.
  • Step 13
    Add the tomatoes to the pot, and stir to combine.
  • Step 14
    Add the chicken stock, tomato puree, and bay leaves, and then stir to combine.
  • Step 15
    Bring the soup up to a boil, and then reduce the heat until the soup is just simmering.
  • Step 16
    Allow the soup to simmer, with the lid off, for about 30 minutes.
  • Step 17
    Chef’s Note: During this time season the soup with salt and pepper, and maybe a pinch of cayenne.
  • Step 18
    Chef’s Tip: Seasoning the soup as you go will give the spices a chance to blend with the other ingredients. It gives all the ingredients a chance to know each other.
  • Step 19
    Remove the bay leaves, add the lemon juice, and then use a stick blender, or add the soup, in batches, to a food processor, fitted with an S-blade and blend until smooth.
  • Step 20
    PLATE/PRESENT
  • Step 21
    Serve in a nice bowl with some Parmesan cheese crisps, crusty bread, or maybe a grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy.
  • Step 22
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!

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