This Creamy Tomato Soup is easy and comforting. It also boasts a delightful flavor profile that will brighten your day! And of course, serve it with a melty, buttery grilled cheese sandwich.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 people (2 cups)

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 yellow onions, (2 cups finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves, (1 Tbsp minced), or 2 tsp garlic powder

56 oz crushed tomatoes, (two, 28-oz cans) with their juice

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more to serve or 1 T. Dried

1 Tbsp sugar, or added to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, or to taste to combat acidity

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more to serve

What to do:

Heat a nonreactive pot over medium heat, add butter and chopped onions, and sauté for 10-12 minutes until golden. For more flavor, caramelize some onions, then add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Just toss in some crushed tomatoes with their juice. Add stock, chopped basil, and a bit of sugar. Adjust the sugar amount however much you like. Finally, add some black pepper. Mix it up. Bring it to a boil. Then, lower the heat and put a lid on it a bit askew. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

You can totally leave your soup a bit chunky if that’s your vibe. If you’re craving a smooth soup, use an immersion blender. Blend right in the pot until it’s as creamy as you like. Alternatively, you can scoop the soup into a blender in batches and blend it up until it’s nice and smooth. Just make sure not to fill that blender too high with hot soup; you don’t want a mess! Start with a few quick pulses. This will get things moving. Then pour the blended goodness back into the pot over medium heat.

Add in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Then add 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Let it come back to a simmer. Taste it. Toss in some salt and pepper if you think it needs them. Then just turn off the heat.

Ladle into warm bowls and top with more Parmesan cheese, fresh or dried basil, and homemade buttered croutons.