Creamy Tomato Soup Without The Cream

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced (or pressed through garlic press, about 1 tablespoon.)
• 1 pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (packed in tomatoe juice)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3 large slice good-quality whole wheat bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (fat free)
• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Recipe

• 1 spray dutch oven with cooking spray and heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until shimmering.
• 2 add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf.
• 3 cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 4 stir in tomatoes and their juice.
• 5 using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain.
• 6 stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil.
• 7 reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
• 8 remove and discard bay leaf.
• 9 transfer half of soup to blender. (if half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. you can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot.).
• 10 add 1 teaspoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 11 transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.
• 12 (for an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth.).
• 13 rinse out dutch oven and return soup to pot and heat to a simmer.
• 14 stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using) and bring to a simmer.
• 15 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 16 serve soup in individual bowls.
• 17 sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives.