This is an absolutely wonderful fresh tomato soup, however it’s kind of hard to make this soup fresh in the winter when the tomatoes and peppers are gone for the season. This is one of my Mom’s favorite soups and she asked me to post it for her and her friends. So here is a quick way to have this flavorful soup all winter.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped (I use our “Candy”)
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (roasted fresh when in season-6)
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (roasted fresh when in season-1)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons sugar, optional
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; add onions and carrots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until just fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, add tomato paste and cook about 1 more minute.
Next add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth and let simmer for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, and the sugar, if needed. Add half-and-half and basil, and puree using a hand held immersion blender until smooth.
Serve with fresh basil and croutons.
Tags: Basil, candy onion, Garlic, red pepper, Tomatoes