Garlic Tomato Soup
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 3
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral oil
- 1 medium onion - finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt - add more later if needed
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne - adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teapsoon fennel seeds - crushed (Note A)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes - I prefer San Marzano tomatoes (Note B)
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) broth - chicken or vegetable, use low-sodium or no-salt options (Note C)
- 2 teaspoons sugar - to balance the acidity
- 6 big basil leaves - hand-torn roughly
Optional serving additions, toppings and garnishes
- croutons or crostini
- chopped fresh basil leaves, parsley or cilantro
- drizzle of heavy cream
- grated parmesan or cheddar cheese
- grilled cheese sandwich
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes softened and translucent. Do not turn up the heat to cook fast, both those ingredients need to cook nice and slow.
- Add pepper, salt, cayenne, ground cumin, and crushed fennel seeds. Saute for 30 seconds, then add the whole peeled tomatoes with all their juices into the pot.
- Pour in the broth along with the sugar, and mix well.
- Bring the soup to a boil, turn down the heat just enough to maintain a gentle simmer and let the soup cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and crush the tomatoes with your spoon as they start breaking down.
- Remove the soup from the burner, mix in torn basil leaves, then use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or cool it down and use a high-speed blender for a very smooth texture.
- Return the soup to the burner on medium-low heat. If the soup is thicker than you want, thin it out with more broth. Taste for seasoning, add more if needed, and serve hot. I've shared optional additions, toppings and garnishes in the ingredients section above.
Notes
Note A: Fennel Seeds – If you can, buy fennel seeds from Indian grocers. You’ll get a lot more for your money. Oh and if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan/skillet to crush the seeds.
Note B: Canned Tomatoes – Non-San Marzano varieties tend to be a bit more acidic, in my opinion, so you might need to balance your soup with a little extra sugar. Whole tomatoes are best. Crushed ones are more processed.
Note C: Broth – If you only have regular broth and not low-sodium, skip the salt entirely at first. Taste and adjust later if needed.