Creamy Tomato Soup (vegetarian)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 5 cups canned whole tomatoes (from three 14-ounce cans in their juice)
• 1 cup water
• 8 ounces silken tofu (about 1/2 a block)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (add more for taste)

Recipe

• 1 in a blender or food processor, drop in the tofu and blend until smooth and creamy. set aside. (should make approximately 2/3 cup).
• 2 in a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. add the sliced onion and smashed garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. add the tomatoes and their juice, the water, blended tofu, sugar, crushed red pepper, celery seed and oregano and season with salt and pepper. bring the soup to a boil over high heat, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 3 working in batches, transfer the tomato soup to a blender and puree until smooth. return the soup to a clean pot and rewarm the soup if necessary. season the soup with salt and pepper. ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the croutons.