How to make Creamy Tomato Soup

This is a quick and easy recipe for creamy tomato soup. Although it uses some canned ingredients (which is why it is a simple recipe), it still tastes like gourmet tomato soup.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion (for about 1/2 cup chopped)
• Sliced celery, sauteed (optional)
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chopped tomatoes seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano
• (if you can't find the seasoned cans of tomatoes, just use regular canned diced tomatoes and add 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil)
• 1 large can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 cup low-fat milk, whole milk, or half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
• Plain or garlic croutons, for garnish, optional

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Peel and finely chop the onion, and add it to the pot. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Also sautee the sliced celery with the onion at this time. Meanwhile, open the tomato and sauce cans.

2. Add the garlic to the pot, and stir and cook 30 seconds.

3. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the tomato sauce. Raise the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk and Parmesan cheese. Do not boil the soup after the milk has been added.

5. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve at once. You can garnish the soup with the croutons if you like.

Tips & Warnings

• The soup is good served with spinach salad and breadsticks