Nothing better on a dreary day than a bowl of tomato soup. Here’s a quick and easy way to make it, using things you already have in your pantry.
The OG accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich. Who needs canned tomato soup when you can whip up a tasty soup using canned tomatoes and pantry ingredients? Jazz it up with a scattering of fresh basil and parsley, add a swirl of heavy cream, sour cream or crème fraiche. Or tahini. Even a cup of milk. You could use store-bought stock or a stock cube if you don’t have any in the freezer.
| 6 T | unsalted butter |
| 1 | yellow onion, chopped |
| 1 | leek, sliced thin |
| 1 clove | garlic, chopped |
| 1 | carrot, chopped |
| 1 lg | can (24 ounces) whole tomatoes |
| 3 c | chicken or vegetable stock |
| 2 t | sea salt |
| ¼ t | fresh-ground black pepper |
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrot. Cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, until the tomatoes, onions and garlic are soft, about 20 minutes.
Carefully transfer the soup to a blender jar (work in batches if necessary) or use an immersion blender. Purée until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock or water to thin. Serve immediately with a grilled cheese sandwich. If adding cream or milk, swirl it in right before serving and scatter chopped herbs on top.
Serves 4-6.