Fresh Tomato Soup with Basil Oil
Quick and easy soup for fresh summertime tomatos
This is a quick, easy soup for summer when there are lots of tomatoes from friends’ gardens or the farmers market. It’s fresh, light, and incredibly flavorful.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of oregano
2 pounds ripe tomatoes cut into 2” chunks (5 cups)
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons basil oil (recipe linked)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and oregano and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Pass the soup through the fine disk or food mill. (Or you can blend it in a Vitamix or another powerful blender. If, after blending, the soup appears frothy, then de-bubble it by running the mixer on the slowest speed for about 30 seconds. This will take out the air.)
Re-warm the soup. Add butter a little at a time, stirring between additions.
Pour the soup into 4 soup plates or bowls and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the basil oil over each serving.