Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (Printable Version)

A smooth tomato soup infused with basil, served alongside crispy sourdough bread dippers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

→ Sourdough Dippers

12 - 1 small sourdough loaf, cut into thick slices
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - 1 garlic clove, halved

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream and fresh basil.
06 - Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
08 - Spread butter on both sides of each sourdough slice.
09 - Grill the bread slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. While warm, rub each slice lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove.
10 - Cut bread into strips for dipping. Ladle hot soup into bowls, garnish with extra basil, and serve with sourdough dippers on the side.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which means you can have restaurant-quality soup on a Tuesday night without any fuss.
  • That moment when you blend it and it transforms from chunky to silky is honestly the best kitchen magic for minimal effort.
  • Sourdough dippers turn this from soup into something you actually want to eat with your hands, which changes everything about how it tastes.
02 -
  • If your soup breaks or looks separated after adding cream, don't panic, just blend it again and it will come back together beautifully.
  • The sugar isn't about making it sweet, it's about balancing acidity, so start with a teaspoon and taste before adding more.
  • Fresh basil added after cooking stays vibrant green, but basil cooked into the soup for twenty minutes turns dark and loses its brightness.
03 -
  • Immersion blenders are genuinely worth their counter space for soups because you get better texture control and fewer dishes than transferring to a blender in batches.
  • If you're serving this to guests, make the soup earlier in the day and reheat it gently just before serving so you're not stressed while people arrive.
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