Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

I love this homemade tomato basil soup because you can whip it up on a moments notice with ingredients commonly found in your pantry. I used to love Campbell’s brand of tomato soup until I realized the second most prominent ingredient was high fructose corn syrup. This version tastes a lot like Campbell’s but it’s actually good for you!

Tomato Soup Ingredients

• 1 28-ounce Can Whole Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/4 cup (1/4 stick) Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 2 Cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 Medium Onion
• A Handful of Fresh Basil, Torn (or 1 Tablespoon Dried)
• 1 Teaspoon thyme (Simply Organic is my favorite)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Milk (Optional: I used Soy Milk)

And here’s how you make it:

1. Melt the butter in a large Sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thyme, onion, and garlic and cook until onion is completely soft, 10–12 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium-high; add the tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring often, until paste has begun to caramelize, about 5–6 minutes.
3. In a large stockpot, on medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and stir in the flour a little bit at a time.
4. Add the Bay Leaf and let it simmer for about 20 minutes so all the flavors meld and it thickens up a bit.
5. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes and add mixture to a blender (remove the bay leaf first!) and mix until smooth.