Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 cups chopped yellow onions (About 2 very large onions)
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons stevia
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 cups chopped tomatoes (I used a variety of kinds and didn’t peel, but you can peel if you like)
• 6 cups chicken broth (or swap vegetable broth)
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Basil, to garnish
• Cream, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large (at least 6 quart- bigger is even better!) heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until they’ve started to soften. Add the balsamic, stevia, and garlic and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the chicken broth and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Simmer another five minutes then taste. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
4. Use an blender to blend the soup into the consistency of your choosing. You can make it totally smooth or leave some chunks. I personally like a few chunks. You can also blend this in your blender, but I recommend draining off the liquid and just blending the solids to avoid a blender explosion! Once the solids are blended, add them back to the liquid and stir to combine.
5. To serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with sliced fresh basil. Swirl with half and half or heavy cream, if desired.

printable version: Tomato Basil Soup