Rich in flavor from fresh, garden tomatoes and fragrant herbs and served with crunchy Parmesan chips, this tomato soup beats canned any day.
I grew up eating plain ol’ tomato soup from a can and never really enjoyed it, but it’s what Momma served so I ate it. As I have gotten older, I have ordered tomato soup from various restaurants, and it is always much more enjoyable with the addition of cream or herbs. I knew there must be a better way to cook and eat tomato soup, so I tried my hand at creating a recipe I couldn’t resist.
My father plants a big garden every year and always brings me an abundance of tomatoes and herbs. I knew exactly what to do with this year’s haul — soup. I tried preparing the soup a few different ways until I decided this recipe permeated with herbs was the tastiest. For one of the versions I prepared while testing this recipe, I roasted the herbs with the tomatoes, garlic and onion. It made the entire kitchen smell amazing, but herbs had lost some of their aromatics and flavor, so I decided to add the fresh herbs after roasting the vegetables. You can certainly switch it up to your preference.
Of course, my mother served tomato soup with a grilled cheese. Now, I love a good gooey grilled cheese, but I have recently tried to eat less carbs. In doing so, I decided to serve my Roasted Herbed Tomato Soup with Parmesan chips. This was a recipe I saw on the Food Network Channel, and it’s very simple! You merely make piles of Parmesan cheese on a baking sheet, bake them until the cheese melts down and then cool them into crispy chips. I prefer to serve my tomato soup with the Parmesan chips because the salty, crunchy bits pair so well with the savory soup.
My parents came to my house for dinner, and I made this soup and chips for them. We laughed while talking about my childhood and the canned tomato soup mom used to serve. My dad was impressed that I was able to use up most of the tomatoes and herbs he brought me, and everyone cleaned their bowls.
This is a homemade soup recipe you will want to keep in your repertoire and pass down for generations. I share it with you in hopes that you have happy family memories for years to come.
| Servings | people |
- 12 large tomatoes red, ripe, thick sliced
- 1 sweet onion rough chop
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- chicken broth as required
- 4 teaspoons whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon freesh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil leaves
- 1 cup grated Parmesan makes roughly 20 chips
Ingredients For the Soup
For the Parmesan Chips
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the sliced tomatoes, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes pull away from their peel. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, turn the oven up to 400 degrees.
- Pour a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan onto a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly pat down. Repeat with the remaining cheese, spacing the spoonful’s out about ½ inch apart. (You should have about 20 piles.)
- Bake for about 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
- Blend the vegetables in a food processor.
- Create a smooth puree by adding chicken broth to the mixture a little bit at a time (the amount varies depending on the amount of liquid the tomatoes create.) I used about a half a cup.
- Pour the puree in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the parsley, thyme, basil and salt and pepper. (You may also add a dash sugar if you prefer a sweet note.) Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Serve hot, laced with a whipping cream swirl, garnished with fresh herbs, alongside Parmesan chips.
