Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I found this recipe searching for “noodles and company tomato basil soup recipe.”¹You’ll find this recipe all over the internet. I put it here so I can easily find it, plus be reminded by all my notes. I think it’s a reasonable match.

Don’t miss the footnotes. ;-)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup half and half

Directions

Chop²That’s what the recipe I’m copying says to do — and that’s what I did the first time I made the soup. The next time, I chopped the onion quite fine in the food processor and grated the carrots. It was easier. the onion and carrots. Melt the butter in a pan³A 4-quart pan is large enough. and saute the onion and carrots for 4-5 minutes. Chop the garlic and add to the pan, cooking an additional 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stock,⁴Chicken stock works, too. basil, bay leaf, red chili flakes,⁵I like the heat, but it might be a little too much for some. Experiment on your family. and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.⁶In other words, add everything else. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and blend⁷You might want to experiment with how fast and long you blend the soup. The first time I made it, I didn’t blend it very long, and something was not fully blended. So, the next time, I really blended it, probably too much. It was too smooth. The next time I make this, I’m going to chop more before cooking, simmer a little longer, and blend a little less. the hot mixture.⁸Remember that hot gasses expand. When you blend the hot mixture, the air will heat and want to blow the top off the blender. Hold the lid down to prevent this. If your blender lid leaks, put a washcloth on top first. Return the blended mixture to the pan and add the half and half. Heat and serve.

Enjoy your tomato basil soup.⁹Then call your mother and thank her for all the times she cooked for you. :-)

• 1
  You’ll find this recipe all over the internet. I put it here so I can easily find it, plus be reminded by all my notes.
• 2
  That’s what the recipe I’m copying says to do — and that’s what I did the first time I made the soup. The next time, I chopped the onion quite fine in the food processor and grated the carrots. It was easier.
• 3
  A 4-quart pan is large enough.
• 4
  Chicken stock works, too.
• 5
  I like the heat, but it might be a little too much for some. Experiment on your family.
• 6
  In other words, add everything else.
• 7
  You might want to experiment with how fast and long you blend the soup. The first time I made it, I didn’t blend it very long, and something was not fully blended. So, the next time, I really blended it, probably too much. It was too smooth. The next time I make this, I’m going to chop more before cooking, simmer a little longer, and blend a little less.
• 8
  Remember that hot gasses expand. When you blend the hot mixture, the air will heat and want to blow the top off the blender. Hold the lid down to prevent this. If your blender lid leaks, put a washcloth on top first.
• 9
  Then call your mother and thank her for all the times she cooked for you. :-)