This soup is easy to make, easy to adapt with what you have on hand, and is perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich! And even though it uses canned tomatoes, it is so much tastier than canned soup! This makes a big batch but is great leftover or freeze some for an easy weeknight meal. Of course, this is awesome when fresh tomatoes are at their peak in the summer.
Ingredients:
- Two 28 ounce cans San Marzano whole tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1/4 C flour
- 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil or less
- 1 C finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
- 1/2 C chopped carrots
- 1/2 Cchopped celery
- 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
- Sea salt
- 1 1/2 tground cumin
- 2 C chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth (or veggie stock)
- 1 large pinch sugar, to tast
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 C coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil or thyme
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and a large pinch of salt and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Break up the tomatoes with your hands or scissors. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Pass the soup through a food mill or fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids. (Alternately, use a blender.) Return the soup to the pot. Add the chicken stock and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over moderate heat until reduced to 10 cups, about 25 minutes. Stir in the herbs. If you want to make it creamier, add heavy cream. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and sour cream if desired Serve hot.
