Ingredients
Method
- Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter foams, add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until softened and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir to form a paste. Continue stirring until the flour turns a light brown. Stir and scrape with a wooden spoon for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion paste is golden with slight brown caramelization.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, uncover, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
- Purée the soup using an immersion blender. For a countertop blender, fill it less than halfway with hot soup. Remove the center lid insert to let steam escape. Cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel and hold your hand over the top. Blend. Repeat until all soup is puréed. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly cracked pepper and slivered basil. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Nutrition
Notes
Ingredient Swap: I often use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock when I want to keep this soup vegetarian, and it works just as well.
Storage Tip: This soup keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I find the flavors actually deepen after a day or two.
Make-
Ahead Advice: You can easily prepare the entire soup a day in advance.
Just reheat it gently on the stovetop and blend it again right before serving for the smoothest texture.
Common Mistake: Don't rush the step where you cook the flour and onion paste.
Taking the full time to get it golden brown is what builds a rich, toasty flavor base for the whole soup.
Serving Suggestion: My favorite way to serve this is with a swirl of good olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs on top, alongside the classic grilled cheese for dipping.
Equipment Note: If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular countertop blender is fine.
Just remember to blend in small batches with the lid vented to avoid a hot soup explosion.
I learned that the hard way once.