Homemade Tomato Soup

So, it’s finally chilly enough to warrant some wholesome, homemade soup! Tonight I whipped up one of my easiest recipes. It’s a favourite for the ease of preparation and the very basic (and affordable) ingredient list. Seriously, if you keep an even half-way stocked pantry, you’ll always have this simple list on-hand. Check it out:

I also love that it’s a one-pot deal. Toss your olive oil in a large soup pot and saute four cloves of freshly minced garlic and two chopped yellow onions in the bottom.

Once they are translucent, add any seasonings you like! Tonight I added some Italian seasoning, but sometimes I get wild and crazy. Lemon pepper or rosemary also work.

That’s when you add some flour (to absorb the oil and create some thickness), and add in the your pantry staple trio – a package of veggie stock, a can of stewed tomatoes (I like seasoned ones) and a can of tomato paste.

Bring that bad boy to a boil and add a bit of sugar (or sugar substitute) to cut the acidity. You can also add your choice of dairy or dairy substitute (I prefer half & half cream) to really thicken it up and add some creaminess.

Heat it through, then haul out your handy immersion blender to make the whole, beautiful pot smooth. Oh, and think about a side dish that works with soup!

One of my hubby’s favourites is the Cheesy Garlic Melt from M&M Meat Shops (yes, that is a shameless plug, lol!). It’s basically garlic fingers with cheese that heats up in 15 minutes – even easier than making grilled cheese sandwiches!

And in less than 30 minutes (and for about $7 total), you’ve got a hearty dinner for two plus lunches for tomorrow!

So go ahead and get wild & crazy with ingredients and sides – we’re in for a long, cold soup season after all :).