Tomato Bisque

Tomato Bisque is a rich, creamy, and velvety smooth soup (at least similar to soup) with fresh or canned tomatoes and a splash of cream. A very comforting dish as a starter or a full meal with or without any accompaniment!

Makes 5-7 cups

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings -6

Calories 109kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (1.6 g) fresh thyme
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons (20 g) all-purpose flour
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth or water
½ tablespoon (4 g) brown sugar
2 teaspoons (3.6 g) Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup (80 g) heavy cream
minced chives, basil, or parsley, as garnish
Croutons, for serving

Instructions

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and pour olive oil. Add minced garlic, fresh thyme, onions, and celery.
Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until vegetables are soft and beginning to get brown.
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and frequently stir over low heat for about a minute until the mixture is smooth and the flour is fully incorporated. This helps to thicken the soup later.
Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and brown sugar. Season the soup with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Cover partially and cook the soup over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Make sure to scoop the bottom of the pan every 5 minutes to avoid burning.
Allow the soup to cool off slightly, then transfer the soup to a blender in batches and blend on high until smooth and silky. Return the puree to the saucepan.
Add the heavy cream and cook until the soup is just heated through. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with basil or parsley and serve with croutons. Bisque is best served warm or hot.

Notes

You can use canned whole tomatoes or fresh tomatoes for this recipe; both create amazing results.
Simmer vegetables until they are very soft to ease blending and give you a smooth and creamy soup. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
If your tomato bisque turns out too thick, you can add more milk or water until you have the desired consistency.
To make this recipe vegan, you can substitute the heavy cream with coconut or cashew cream and the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.

Nutrition