I realize it’s still the dog days of summer, and it’s super hot outside. And that, if you live in the South like me, chances are the weather’s not turning toward fall for at least another month to month and a half.
However, the incredibly hot weather hasn’t stopped me from wanting to eat soup this season.
And yes, I know this is strange, but sometimes, a girl’s gotta have soup! And apparently, any home-y soup is my comfort food of choice these days.
I love Panera. I do not just kind of love it, I mean I really, really love it. I feel so strongly about this restaurant that if my husband and I are ever traveling through a city with a Panera I BEG him to let us stop. Sometimes he caves, and every single time I go to Panera I get the same thing. Tomato mozzarella panini, and a big bowl of creamy tomato basil soup. It is divine. So I decided to try to recreate this soup at home. The biggest thing about the soup is that it has a thick texture and consistency and has a subtle sweetness that makes you want more and more…and more and more.
This soup is fairly simple, and it doesn’t take hours to simmer and pick up flavor like most soups. You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes start to finish with this meal. I served this with open faced grilled cheese “sandwiches”. These are also easy to make and I used a garlic and herb cheese spread that my grandmother taught me to make. I am actually sharing that recipe on my personal blog today so head here to find that recipe for the perfect accompaniment for this creamy tomato soup. Because who doesn’t love dunking a cheesy piece of French bread into a steamy bowl of tomato soup?
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Sometimes a recipe can drop from the heavens and land in your lap. It can come from necessity, a craving, or just some creativity in the kitchen.
This recipe was made from all three. I have a deep love for tomatoes, and I was searching for some ideas for lunch and that would also fit into my clean-eating diet. I also wanted it to be something that I could easily make to take to work for lunch. It needed to be refreshing because I live in Phoenix, and the summers can be brutal. The last thing I want to eat is a hot and greasy lunch when the temperatures can reach as high as 120+ degrees in the middle of summer. This couldn’t be a more perfect summer recipe for any occasion.
My recipe criteria was:
1. Can make in a hurry
2. Easily take to work
3. Super healthy
4. Oh so delicious
5. #dinnerdone
I started to brainstorm recipe ideas and looked in my kitchen cupboard to try to put something together that was filling, low calorie and satisfying. I grabbed my Hunt’s diced tomatoes and basil from the fridge and thought I could experiment with making something yummy.
I choose to use canned tomatoes because they are already cooked, peeled and ready to go. Using peeled tomatoes keeps the texture of my soup the way I like it. I also must admit that I really like the flavor when it’s a premium brand like Hunt’s. I use their diced tomatoes and the main difference with Hunt’s to other brands is that they use a unique flashsteam peeling method. Hunt’s only uses steam and water to peel their tomatoes, unlike other brands that may use lye to remove the peel.
This recipe could not be easier. I make it all the time now and it is great because it just takes a few minutes, and you can make a large batch that can last you all week. I also love this recipe because you can add anything to change it up and add some crunchy texture. On occasion, I sometimes add anything from fresh corn kernels, avocado, diced cucumbers, radishes and peppers. The options are endless.
This fragrant soup is centered around the broth, the unique spices, like cinnamon, star anise, and coriander make this soup so rich in flavor. Pho is one of my favorite soups, its simple ingredients are paired so perfectly with the distinct flavor of the broth. Most of the Vietnamese restaurants I have dined at do not have vegetarian broth accompanying their veggie pho. Pho is traditionally made with beef broth and this is the type of broth that is normally in the veggie ones as well, so I decided to master the broth so I could enjoy this soup in my humble abode. I hope you enjoy!
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