Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (Printable)

Smooth tomato soup enriched with basil and served with warm sourdough dippers for cozy dining moments.

# What you need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
05 - 2 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

→ Sourdough Dippers

12 - 1 small sourdough loaf, cut into thick slices
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - 1 garlic clove, halved

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
03 - Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream and fresh basil. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread butter on both sides of each sourdough slice. Grill bread slices for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
06 - While still warm, rub each slice lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove. Cut bread into strips for dipping.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Serve with sourdough dippers on the side.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The cream swirls through the tomato base like silk, making something that tastes restaurant-quality but takes less than an hour.
  • Sourdough dippers turn soup into a tactile, playful meal instead of something you just spoon through.
  • Fresh basil at the end wakes up the whole pot—it's the difference between good and memorable.
02 -
  • Don't skip the minute of cooking after adding garlic—raw garlic in soup tastes harsh and bitter, but cooked garlic becomes sweet and mellow.
  • Add the basil after removing from heat so it stays bright green and herbaceous instead of turning dark and losing its personality.
  • Taste as you go, especially with salt—canned tomatoes vary in sodium, so you might need less than the recipe calls for.
03 -
  • Blend the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender instead of transferring to a countertop blender—fewer dishes and less risk of hot soup sloshing everywhere.
  • Make the soup earlier in the day and reheat gently right before serving; the flavors actually improve as they sit, and you'll have less to do at dinnertime.
  • Toast your sourdough right before serving so it stays crispy; nobody wants soggy bread, and the garlic aroma will make your kitchen smell like a restaurant.
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