Vegetarian
Tomato Bisque
Description
This creamy homemade Tomato Bisque Recipe, alongside a grilled cheese sandwich, is my ultimate comfort food! I use an expected-yet-unexpected secret ingredient in this easy recipe to intensify the tomato flavor. Intrigued? Read on!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion 1/4-inch diced
- 2 medium carrots scrubbed and 1/4-inch diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic about 1 tablespoon
- 3 to 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes if packed in oil, drain and pat dry
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley optional for serving
Directions
- In a Dutch oven or similar large sturdy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and carrots and cook until the onion is tender beginning to turn translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 additional seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add 3 cups of the broth, crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Tie the fresh thyme together with kitchen twine, then add it (or stir in the dried thyme).
- Bring the soup to boil, then partially cover and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, until the soup has reduced, the flavors have married, and the carrots are tender. Fish and out discard the thyme bundle.
- With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy, adding more of the remaining 1 cup broth as needed to reach your desired consistency (remember you’ll be adding half-and-half too). You also can carefully transfer the soup to a blender or food processor in batches to blend (add it back to the pot at the end). Be careful not to overfill your blender, as hot soup can easily splatter.
- Stir in the half and half. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
