garden-fresh tomato soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 7 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (with seeds and juice)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter (optional)
• 5 large fresh basil leaves, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil, or to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 15 mins


• combine tomatoes, onion, carrots, and garlic in a large pot. drizzle olive oil over tomato mixture; cook and stir over medium heat. cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
• mix chicken broth, salt, sugar, dill, black pepper, celery salt, and cloves into tomato mixture. cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup flavors have blended, about 20 minutes.
• whisk milk and cornstarch together in a bowl until dissolved.
• heat butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. whisk cornstarch mixture into melted butter until smooth and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• slowly pour cornstarch mixture into tomato soup, stirring until incorporated.
• pour half of the soup and basil leaves into a blender no more than half-full. cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. puree soup in batches until smooth. return blended soup to pot and heat on low for 3 to 5 minutes. spoon soup into serving bowls and top with parmesan cheese and shredded basil.