Tomato soup is delicious, healthy and loaded with nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. This recipe is simple to make and very tasty. The carrots added a slight sweetness to the dish without added sweetener. A slightly healthier version of roux was added to thicken the broth. The roux used ghee instead of butter and it still had the nutty flavor that roux is know for. While a very small amount of hot red pepper flakes is optional, I highly recommend not skipping it – the dish is not spicy and the pepper balanced out the flavor. Some tomato soup adds heavy cream and a sweetener like sugar or honey; honestly you won’t miss any of that because the soup is very delicious.
When making a tomato soup, some chefs love to keep the chunks of tomatoes. I love to puree the soup using an immersion blender which helps to control the texture – meaning I can keep a little bit of small chunks. If you are looking for a very smooth texture, I would recommend using a regular blender like a vitamix– but do it in small batches.
I hope you will make this very simple soup and enjoy it as much as we do. Be the first to access our delicious recipes; sign up is free using the form at the end of this post. Thanks and Happy Cooking.
You may also like these soup recipes:
Butternut Squash Soup | With Potatoes and Leeks
Rustic Tomato Carrot Soup
Tomato Carrot Soup is definitely one of the amazing fall into winter soup, but quite frankly it is great year round It's very nutritious and is vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
- 1 – 2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional). It does however balance out the flavors.
- 6 – 8 vine ripened tomatoes chopped (about 1 quart chopped)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups tomato puree
- 2 quarts of vegetable stock (you can substitute chicken stock, if you are not vegetarian/vegan)
- 1 – 2 cups fresh basil Chiffonade when ready to add to soup.
For the Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust for your diet
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (can sub sweet paprika)
For the brown Roux
- 1 ounce ghee (can use butter)
- 1 ounce all purpose flour
Instructions
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Combine the spice mix ingredients and set aside
Let's make the soup
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To a 4 or 5 quart stock pot, add the extra virgin olive oil. Use medium heat.
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Add in the red onions and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
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Add in celery, carrots, red peppers. Sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mix. Stir and cook about 2 minutes.
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Add in garlic, ginger, thyme leaves and red pepper flakes. Mix and cook 30 seconds.
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Add in tomatoes, remaining spice mix, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat.
In the meantime, make the blonde roux
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In a small pot or small frying pan, add the ghee or butter. Use medium low heat melt the ghee/butter. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time as you mix with a spatula or whisk. Continue cooking and whisking/stirring the mixture over medium low heat. Consistence mixing will prevent lumps. The mixture should become a sandy texture and begin to brown lightly. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is light brown – about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Let's continue with the soup…
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The tomato mixture should now be broken down nicely. Add in the puree and stock. Cover and bring to a boil.
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Add in the roux. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Cover and simmer on low/medium low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
Note. The roux adds both flavor and serves as a thickener.
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The soup will thicken slightly and is ready for pureeing. Turn off the stove. Use an immersion blender and puree to your desired smoothness.
Alternatively you can use a blender and puree in batches.
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Add in the fresh basil. Stir. It's ready for serving.
Note: I usually serve this with some cooked brown rice. You can also serve with slices of bread. Enjoy and Happy Cooking!.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Video Tutorial is available for Rustic Tomato Carrot Soup.
Suggested nutrition recommendations will vary based on actual serving sizes.
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