Creamy Chunky Tomato Soup

This soup first caught my eye in BYU Magazine, Fall 2010. Karen Petersen shared it from her slow-cooker blog. I’m more of a fast-cooker, so I made it on the stovetop and had great success! I only changed her recipe a little—substituting Italian diced tomatoes for one can of plain diced tomatoes, and reducing extra salt. My whole family loves this soup, which tastes like creamy marinara.  The comment I jotted on the magazine page was “Restaurant Quality!” I make it fairly often, and the kids will pack leftover creamy tomato soup for school lunch instead of their usual peanut-butter sandwiches!

Ingredients:

4 c. broth (I use vegetable broth)   
1 c. diced raw onion
1 c. diced raw celery
1 c. peeled, diced raw carrots
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes

Most of my ingredients…

½ bay leaf
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ c. butter
½ c. flour
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 c. half-and-half cream

Directions:

1. If using bouillon cubes, make broth now—combine 4 cups water and appropriate amount of bouillon and microwave. Try zapping it for 4 minutes then take it out and stir. If bouillon cubes haven’t dissolved yet, microwave a couple more minutes. The bouillon need not TOTALLY dissolve, because it will have a chance to dissolve later, as the soup cooks!

2. Warm half-and-half cream in small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching on the pot. When liquid feels warm, turn off heat and save half-and-half  for a later step.

3. In a large pot (with a lid), combine broth, onion, celery, carrots, two cans diced tomatoes, and spices (everything but the last four ingredients).

4. Cover and heat at medium high until soup begins to boil (mine took about 12 minutes). Uncover and cook at a low boil about 8 more minutes, until vegetables start to soften. (Boiling may take longer at high altitude.)

Broth, veggies and spices (no cream yet)!

5. While soup is boiling uncovered and veggies are beginning to soften, make a roux by melting butter in small saucepan.  Whisk in flour. Add 1 cup soup and whisk. Add 3 more cups soup and whisk to make it smooth. Add back in to main soup pot.

6. Add Parmesan and half-and-half. Simmer on low heat (covered) for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so creamy soup doesn’t burn to the bottom of your large pot.

7. Turn off heat and let sit uncovered about 5 minutes.

8. Your whole kitchen smells good by now! The soup is ready to serve with crackers or garlic breadsticks J

Nutrition facts:

Ingredient	Calories	Sodium (% RDA)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium (% RDA)
4 c. broth (veg. bouillon)	60	140	0	2	0
1 c. chopped celery	16	3	2	1	4
1 c. chopped carrots	52	4	4	1	4
1 c. chopped onion	64	0	3	2	4
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes	87.5	31.5	3.5	3.5	7
14.5 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes	105	49	3.5	7	7
½ c. butter	800	32	0	0	0
½ c. flour	220	0	1	6	0
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese	480	72	0	48	144
pint half-and-half cream	640	16	0	8	64
Whole pot of soup:	2525 kcal	348 %	17 g	78.5 g	234 %
1 cup (1/8 of total):	316 kcal	43 %	2 g	10 g	30 %

Calculated from food packaging and this website: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts

I used “Knorr” brand vegetable bouillon, “Bakers & Chefs” (Sams Club) brand flour, “Kraft” brand grated Parmesan  cheese, and “Great Value” (Walmart) brand diced tomatoes, Italian-style diced tomatoes, butter, and half-and-half cream.

This post is linked at:
Tuesday Confessional Link Party
It's a Keeper Thursday
Made by You Monday
Show Me What Ya Got
Tasty Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesdays
Penny Pinching Party
Look What I Made
Foodie Friday