How Do You Make Great Tomato Basil Soup?
Tomato Basil soup is easy to make from scratch and makes a wonderful side dish or meal in itself. Reserve two basil leaves for garnish and chop the rest. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large stockpot. Add garlic, onion, chopped basil, and shallots. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until onion begins to caramelize. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in chicken broth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup mixture in blender or liquid tight food processor…fill only half way full at most to allow for expansion. Pour pureed mixture into bowl and finish each batch. Rinse stockpot and pour pureed mixture back in. Bring to medium heat and stir in cream to taste. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil leaf and serve.
