Creamy Tomato Bisque

Smooth and creamy tomato bisque, with hints of leeks, parmesan and basil. Perhaps one of the most satisfying things ever - it's light yet rich; sweet yet tangy; and each spoonful delivers nuances of fresh tomatoes and leeks, nutty parmesan cheese and sweet cream. Ready in less than 30 minutes. I'd call that winning. 

Tomato soup is - hands down - one of my favorite soups (it's a 3-way tie between tomato, French onion and vegetable). And this one blew my mind. You would think after all the recipe testing I do, a mind-blowing dish would be hard to achieve. Kudos to you tomato bisque - you did it!

And, this soup is crazy-easy to make, which makes it even more lovely. Sauteed leeks, celery and garlic set the stage for a classic tomato bisque. Then, I added dried basil (yes dried!), so the dried herb had time to bloom and perfume the broth. Next, crushed tomatoes (from a can!), veggie broth, parmesan cheese, and a little sugar transform a handful of ingredients into one stellar soup. The grande finale? The addition of a little heavy cream - just enough to add richness without creating a heavy soup. The cream balances the tomatoes, it doesn't weigh them down.

Let each spoonful coat and melt on your tongue. It'll blow your mind too. 

Creamy Tomato Bisque

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped leeks, rinsed well to remove dirt

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2/3 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh parsley for serving

Heat the oil in a large stock pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables soften, stirring frequently. Add the basil and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the basil is fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, parmesan cheese, and sugar and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth (you can also use a blender, just work in batches so you don’t overfill the blender; return the puree to the pan before adding the cream).

Add the heavy cream and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into mugs and top with parsley and additional parmesan cheese.

Serves 4