Quick & Easy Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup is one of those nostalgic kind of meals.  It wraps you up in a warm hug, and soothes your soul.  Most people are used to soup from that red and white can, and there is nothing wrong with that.  But sometimes, for whatever reason, you want more control over what you’re eating or you just want to do it yourself.  I’ve experimented with various recipes over the years, using canned tomatoes and fresh, but I often found problems with texture or the acidity levels of the tomatoes.  My solution?  Garden Cocktail.  For myself, I choose the lowest sodium version I could find, with minimal additives, but commercially produced vegetable juice cocktail is smooth-textured and the acidity from the tomatoes has been balanced.  I personally enjoy the more layered flavours of garden cocktail, but you can always substitute tomato juice.  Best of all, using the garden cocktail as a base means you have just turned this into a 15 minute meal!

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Serves: 2-3 people

Ingredients

• 3 cups Garden Cocktail or Tomato Juice
• 1 Cup Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup Whipping Cream (35% fat)
• 1 Tbsp Italian Seasonings
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients to a large pot and stir well with a wire whisk.  Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Recommended served with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Tips

• Increase proportionally to feed a larger group of people.
• You can use a lower fat cream or milk, but be very careful not too heat it too quickly.  If warmed too rapidly, the milk fats will separate from the water content, leaving an unpleasant curdled texture.  The high fat content of whipping cream means that it won’t separate when heated through.
• To make the soup vegan, you can substitute coconut cream.  This will lend it a Thai or Indian sensibility, so I would also recommend substituting a Thai or Indian curry spice blend for the Italian seasonings.
• Suggested Garnishes:  Parmesan cheese, red chili flakes, fresh parsley, garlic croutons, crumbled goat cheese.  For a vegan version, coconut chips, fresh cilantro, or chopped nuts would add fresh flavours and texture.

Let us know if this works for you and any variations or additions you would make.  And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for other X-Rated Food ideas and impression.