A container or two of comforting Creamy Tomato Soup, a loaf of bread and bag of salad — it’s dinner. This soup makes 10 cups, so you’ll have enough for a friend, with some leftover for you.
Creamy Tomato Soup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 to 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup half-and-half
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot and bay leaf; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cloves. Stir until vegetables are well coated.
Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Remove bay leaf and discard. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in a blender until smooth.
Add salt and pepper. Slowly pour in half-and-half, stirring constantly. Refrigerate until just before serving time.
When reheating soup, do not to bring to a boil to keep cream from curdling. If you plan to freeze soup, do so before adding half-and-half. Makes 10 cups. Serves 6.
— Recipe by Amy Sgarro
