Why open a can of sodium filled tomato soup when you can make this yourself with just a few ingredients, and a short amount of time. By making simple soups yourself you can omit or add ingredients as you choose, besides that, I am not a fan of canned soups. I am always trying to steer clear of processed foods when possible. My mother recently has decided to cut back on her salt….she really can’t buy hardly anything that is premade. My mom and I had dinner at my son’s house the other night and our conversation was filled with ideas about nutrition, preservatives, sodium, etc. Though none of us are nutritionist, it seems we all agreed that we should endeavor to eat less of the “bad” stuff. I suppose the “bad” stuff shall be whatever any of us deems on the given day. lol Hey, you have to start somewhere.
Also, this is the perfect dish to serve to your vegetarian friends! (By vegetarian, I mean those that will eat eggs and dairy, but no meat. I actually looked this up and the proper term is ovo-lacto vegetarian. That’s pretty specific. I don’t mind saying simply vegetarian, but for those of you that do….there’s the term. I learn something new everyday!)
You say Tomato, I say Tomato Soup!
Simple to make! Perfect for a chilly day! Vegetarian dish!
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups chilcken broth
- 1 tbsp Oregano dried or fresh
- 1 tbsp Basil dried or fresh
- 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
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Chop the onion and mince the garlic clove, set aside. In a medium sauce pan, add butter and olive oil and place over low to medium heat. Once the butter and oil are combined and warm, toss in your chopped onion. Cook for a few minutes or until the onion is just softened. Add oregano and basil to the onion. Then add the minced garlic. Let cook for a few more minutes stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't burn.
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Open the diced tomatoes, but don't strain. Add to sauce pan. Open the tomato paste and add to sauce pan. Stir until the tomato paste is combined and the mixture looks smooth. Add chicken broth and bring pan to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
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Remove pan from heat and use a potato masher to mash and combine diced tomatoes with soup. You may omit this step to make the soup chunkier, or use an immersion blender if you would like it smooth. Either way, it will taste great in the end.
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Fill soup bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese and extra basil.
Recipe Notes
*I use butter because I like the richness that it adds to this dish. But, in order to have enough fat in the pan and keep the butter from burning, I also include olive oil. Feel free to omit butter.
*I used dried spices in this dish, but you could use fresh herbs if they are available. Just remove you will need to use more if using fresh as the dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor.
*I frequently salt and pepper as I go. Please use this method to get the soup seasoned the way you like it. Also, crushed red pepper flake would be an excellent add if you like your soup a little spicy.
*Serve with garlic bread, toast points, grilled cheese, or a salad to round out the meal.