Mom’s Tomato Soup
A rainy summer day only means one thing to me, tomato soup. I love tomato soup, let me just put that out there. Actually, I love tomatoes. I put them in almost everything I eat. It is hard for me to understand why anyone would feel any differently about them but, just recently I was reminded how much my mother dislikes fresh tomatoes.
Since I enjoy having my mother over for lunch and dinner, her tomato “issues” pose a problem for me from time to time. Just recently when I made a Florentine tomato soup I thought was absolutely delicious (of course), my mother was less than enthused and only managed to swallow a few spoon fulls. Now my mother is an amazing cook and baker but it never ceases to amaze me how squeamish she is about trying new foods I prepare. Actually, my mother would probably bypass most meals and head straight for the cake and coffee. So, for her to even taste my tomato soup when she never eats fresh, diced tomatoes – I think I’m making progress.
With my mother in mind, I set out today to make a tomato soup which would be similar to the Campbell’s version (one I know she likes believe it or not). I spent several hours making, tasting, adjusting and readjusting amounts until the final product tasted just right.
Below is my version of Campbell’s tomato soup, which I will now forever refer to as Mom’s Tomato Soup.
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups of 1% milk (or 2%)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 28oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (I like Red Pack)
- 1 fresh basil leaf (for garnish)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 small cubes of mozzarella (optional)
- 1-2 tsp of sea salt
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- When butter is melted, add the onions and cool until translucent (about 3 minutes).
- Stir in the flour.
- Add the milk and stir for a minute.
- Add tomatoes, baking soda and sugar and simmer for 10 15 minutes. While the soup is simmering, use a wooden spoon to break apart the tomatoes to release the juices.
- Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the salt.
- Garnish with mozzarella and basil.
Below is the Cuisinart hand blender (immersion blender) I use for all of my soups. It is so much easier than moving the soup back and forth between the pot and a regular blender.
Really yummy soup. So quick and easy to make with simple ingredients we all have on hand. Loved it!