Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Simple recipe for the best creamy tomato basil soup perfect for cozy winter nights. This post is sponsored by The Ranch at Laguna Beach. All opinions are my own.
Tomato soup and grilled cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods. All summer long we have piles of garden tomatoes on the counter, but now that it’s December they are gone and I’m really missing them. Tomato Basil soup was the perfect wintry recipe to get my tomato fix. I will admit to having used a box of tomato soup from Trader Joe’s in the past, but after making this incredibly easy tomato basil soup from scratch last night, I don’t think I can go back to the boxed version. This soup is so much more satisfying and even though I used jars of Roma tomatoes, it tastes incredibly fresh. I’m thrilled to have partnered with The Ranch at Laguna Beach to bring you this recipe from the chef.
The Ranch will be opening early 2016 and feature incredible food straight from the property. The Ranch is in preview period but taking reservations now. Laguna is a fun southern California town and the resort looks like it is shaping up to be my favorite style – organic, rustic, and beautiful. My family will visit sometime in the next few months and I’ll share all the details then, but today the chef agreed to share one of his delicious recipes with us – this tomato soup!
I cannot wait to try the restaurants at The Ranch at Laguna Beach and explore the harvest garden. Nearly a half acre of the resort is devoted to Laguna’s largest organic garden! I absolutely love checking out hotel gardens, as you may have noticed from my past travel posts. They give me ideas for my own dream garden and give me more of an appreciation of the food I enjoy on the property. Executive Chef Camron is known for his simple, straightforward approach to cooking, which I love because it puts the true essence of the ingredients in the spotlight.
The chef is kindly sharing this simple tomato basil soup recipe with us today. It was easy to make and our family loved it with grilled cheese dippers. It’s creamy, bright, and delicious. Enjoy!
Tomato Basil Soup
The chef from The Ranch at Laguna Beach is kindly sharing this simple creamy tomato basil soup recipe with us today. It was easy to make and our family loved it with grilled cheese dippers. It's creamy, bright, and delicious. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 64 ounces peeled plum tomatoes (I used jars of diced San Marzano tomatoes)
- 16 oz. half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat, saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and continue to saute another two minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the half and half and continue to simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes longer. Turn off heat and stir in basil.
- Using an immersion blender, or regular blender with the lid slightly vented and covered with a towel, puree the soup very carefully so you don't get burned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with basil leaves.
- Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 242mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 6g
