It’s that time of year again! The time when your garden is bountiful with beautiful tomatoes and what better way to use them then by making a batch of soulful tomato soup. This is a soup that I have been making for awhile and I don’t even know where or if I ever had a recipe for it anywhere, but the last time I made it (last week) I decided to try to measure everything to share this deliciousness!

A lot of my recipes are just things that I throw together or mix-n-mash together recipes I have tried in the past. This one was created when my oldest son said he wanted tomato soup and all I had in the house (or I should say, in the garden) were fresh tomatoes.

Here is what you will need:

Fresh Creamy Tomato Soup

8 cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
6 Tbsp butter, divided
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup finely diced carrots
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Tbsp flour
2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese

First you scald the tomatoes in boiling water for 25 seconds and place them in cold water for about the same amount of time to remove the skins. Place the peeled tomatoes in a food processor and chop until diced. Add tomatoes, all the seasonings and the broth to a stock pot and gently simmer for 20 minutes.

Next, using a sauce pan saute onions and carrots in 2 Tbsp of butter until tender; add the garlic during the last few minutes of sauteing. Once tender add them to the tomato mixture. Using the same pan, melt the remaining 4 tbsp of butter; whisk in 4 Tbsp of flour and cook over medium heat for about a minute. Gradually add the milk whisking to make sure no lumps form. Cook until thickened.

Take the tomato mixture and pour it into a blender or food processor to puree it, if you like chunks in your soup skip this step, my kids prefer no chunks so that is what we do

Return the tomato puree to the stockpot and add the white sauce. Heat through and add the cream, stir together until well combined and thickens a bit.

Last add the Parmesan cheese and stir until incorporated.

Serve hot with some croutons on top and a grilled cheese on the side! That is the way we do it  Perfect soup for any occasion no matter the weather, it makes you feel comfy and cozy even in the summer 😉

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does and even though it is a little time consuming it is so worth the effort!! Sometimes I even double the batch and put one in the freezer for another day