Ready for a warming, comforting bowl of this delicious soup?
I’ve got a new recipe to share with you today. I’m definitely a soup gal, in the winter it’s something I crave often. I like for meals to warm me up inside and feel comforting. Plus, soup always makes for amazing leftovers paired with a sandwich or salad.
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There’s something so nostalgic about tomato soup, it always brings back warm memories I have from childhood when my mom and dad would serve tomato soup with a yummy grilled cheese. For all my cheese lovers out there, I have a grilled cheese hack to share: Once the grilled cheese is getting close to the perfect golden brown color, sprinkle a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese on the skillet and flip the sandwich on top of the cheese, this adds another layer of flavor and a beautiful golden brown color. Repeat for the other side. The crispy cheesy crust that forms is TO DIE FOR. It’s the perfect accompaniment for dunking into a hearty tomato soup. Btw, I stole that hack from my Dad, who probably stole it from my grandfather.
Alright, let’s get to this recipe. My new recipe was inspired by a craving I had a few weeks ago and a desire to utilize some of the canned goods I had on hand. This soup is perfect for a lazy Sunday night meal and I promise it will satisfy the whole family. I use heavy whipping cream to achieve the creamy mouthfeel I remember from childhood, but you could always substitute half and half or even whole milk if you prefer. For a dairy free option you could use almond, cashew or even soy milk.
Fresh herbs are great, but for this soup, I relied on what I had in my spice cabinet, plus a jar of pesto from the supermarket. The pesto really adds a nice twist without using fresh basil. I also love to find inventive ways to use up random ingredients in my fridge. We had the pesto on hand for another recipe and I wasn’t sure what to do with the rest of the jar before it went bad. I have to say, this soup was the perfect answer.
Alright, let’s get to the recipe!
Creamy Tomato Soup With Pesto Swirl
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter Plus 2 more tbsp for serving (set aside until the end)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced may use yellow or white onion as alternative
- 1 14.5 oz can no added salt diced tomatoes
- 1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
- 1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream may use half and half or whole milk as a substitute
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp prepared pesto from a jar plus 2 tbsp pesto reserved for serving
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add the 2 tablespoons oil or butter to a large stock pot or soup pot and turn heat to medium
- Once oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes until fragrant
- Add the onion and garlic mixture to a blender with all three cans of tomato product and blend until smooth.
- Add the mixture back to the stock pot and return heat to medium high
- Add all the remaining ingredients (except the extra pesto and olive oil to be reserved for serving)
- Bring the soup to a light boil. Once the soup comes to a light boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix the reserved 2 tablespoons of pesto with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and whisk until it becomes a smooth consistency.
- Serve the soup in bowls and add a spoonful of the pesto mixture in a swirl pattern.
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