Tomato Soup

What could possibly be better than fresh, creamy tomato soup made in a flash? This dish comes together in a snap, making it a quick weeknight addition to dinner or even a speedy lunch at home. It's simple enough to appeal to picky palettes but also packs a wallop of flavor which makes it far more interesting than your standard tomato soup. And, of course, by making it homemade you get to leave out the massive amounts of salt you'll normally (sadly) find in soups.

I made this with tuna melts, a bit of a twist on the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup, but it would definitely stand up to fancy or simple versions of that classic American favorite. Since it's freshly made you could also easily serve it with nearly any summertime favorites!

Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: easy



Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp canola oil
1.5 c sweet onion, diced
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can san marzano whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (undrained)
2 c unsalted vegetable broth
1/4 c fat free half and half

Get a large pot heating over medium heat. Add the oil, swirling to coat. After it's hot add the onion, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring somewhat often to keep from burning. The onions should be softening at this point. Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring more frequently since garlic burns easily.

Now add the can of tomatoes, including all of the juice. Add the vegetable broth as well. Stir well to combine and then let the mixture come to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally during this time.

Add the fat free half and half and let it cook for another minute to let the half and half heat.

Remove the soup from the heat. Pour half of it into a blender. Remove the middle piece of the blender lid and hold a paper towel over the top. This will let the heat escape. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining soup. Stir well to incorporate the blended halves in the bowl and then enjoy!

Servings: 4
Serving size: about 1 cup soup
Nutrition: calories 100; carbs 16g; fat 4g; protein 4g; sodium 332mg; iron 4mg