The best classic Tomato Soup recipe! It's made with canned San Marzano tomatoes, rich butter and optional cream, flavorful onions and garlic, a savory broth, and herby, vibrant fresh basil. So much simple goodness in every bowl! Makes about 10 cups.
Melt butter in a large pot (6 quart) over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until slighlty browned and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
While whisking slowly pour in chicken broth. Cook and whisk until flour has blended in, about 1 minute.
Add in tomatoes, basil, parmesan, sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a light simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally (Scrape along bottom of pot when stirring). Cook about 25 - 30 minutes until tomatoes start to break down.
Remove from heat. Remove basil sprigs and parmesan rind from soup then use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth***.
Serve warm topping servings with swirl of cream if desired and chopped basil.
Notes
*Honey may be substituted in place of sugar. Adjust this amount according to desired preference. I don't like it very sweet so 2 tsp is perfect for me. You can increase or even omit.
**Heavy cream not included in nutrition estimate as this is optional. Half and half will work here too.
***If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a countertop blender. If doing so let soup cool slightly then puree soup in batches in blender (don't fill more than halfway full and remove lid insert and cover with a kitchen towel when blending otherwise steam will build up and lid can burst open).
If you want soup a little thinner you can add some more more broth at the end.