I love tomato soup. I love roasted tomato soup and plain tomato soup. I love it thick and thin, and with a variety of toppings and additions. This is my newest version of tomato soup and I’ve fallen in love with it.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz bread, cut into 1″ squares
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, divided
- 1 tsp oregano
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- ½ cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350°F. On a baking sheet, toss bread, oil, oregano, garlic powder, and a large pinch of salt. Spread in an even layer. Bake the croutons, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crispy, 15 to 18 minutes.
In a large pot over medium heat, bring the oil up to temperature. Add in the onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the onions are coated and the paste slightly darkens, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and 1 cup of beans until combined. Add oregano and red pepper flakes; season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and flavors have melded, about 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and carefully puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer soup to a standard blender and blend, stopping to allow steam to escape very carefully every 10 seconds, until smooth. Return the soup to medium-low heat. Add in the spinach, Parmesan, cream, and remaining beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted and incorporated, about 10 minutes more.
Divide the soup among bowls. Top with croutons and more Parmesan.
Notes:
To make this vegan, use vegetable broth. Add most of the beans to the soup and blend them in, and only add a few unblended ones for mouth feel at the end. Cannellini beans make the soup much more creamy feeling. Instead of a half cup of heavy cream, sub in a half to a cup of Forager plain unsweetened yogurt. This will give the creaminess the soup demands, without watering it down or having to resort to using a roux to thicken it (undesirable with this type of soup). Instead of actual Parmesan, use one of the vegan options such as Violife brand.
This tastes incredible when served with grilled cheese (or vegan grilled “cheeze”) sandwiches!