Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup yellow onion – finely chopped
• 0.5 cup carrot – chopped
• 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 leaf bay leaf
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• heavy cream – for serving
• fresh basil leaves – torn (for serving)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat until foamy, about 1 minute.
2. Add the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft and sweet but not browned, 8–10 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30–45 seconds.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened to brick red and caramelized, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices (crush them by hand as they go in), the vegetable broth, sugar, bay leaf, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, 3–5 minutes.
6. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors have melded, 20–25 minutes.
7. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Blend the soup until completely smooth with an immersion blender, 1–2 minutes (or carefully blend in batches in a countertop blender until silky).
8. Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a gentle simmer over low heat, 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
9. Ladle into warm bowls and finish with a drizzle of heavy cream and a few torn basil leaves, to taste. Serve hot.