Creamy Tomato Soup

Well, it seems like Spring is finally here - according to the calendar at least! Today was nothing if not grey and dreary, alternating between wind and rain... the type of outdoor atmosphere that makes you need to take a shower when you come back inside, just so that you can get thoroughly wet and not simply damp. Definitely comfort food weather.

When it's like that outside, there's nothing better to me than a bowl of hearty soup filled with bright flavour. Luckily, I still had roasted tomatoes from last year's harvest packed snugly in my freezer, all screaming of Summer's sweetness. I spotted a recipe for a chunky, creamy tomato soup in The Greek Yogurt Cookbook: Includes Over 125 Delicious, Nutritious Greek Yogurt Recipes the other day and knew I had to try it - not only did I have the aforementioned tomatoes, but my mom is a Greek yoghurt freak. For a more "authentic" tomato soup texture I pureed the works instead of leaving it chunky, and added a few extra herbs and some Parmesan for a bit of pep. After a short simmer, my mom snuck a spoonful (okay, a bowl-ful) and declared the finished product "Italian Summer in a bowl", reminiscent of a great spaghetti sauce with a touch of creamy tang. I didn't get a chance to try it on pasta (or mixed into rice, my favourite way to eat tomato sauce), but you can bet that this Summer this will be on the rotation for sure! 

One thing I will say in terms of ingredients - choose canned fire roasted if you can find them, or low-sodium whole if not, if you don't have plump, ripe tomatoes right outside your door or at the farmers market. Your mouth will thank you for it. The other note is that you can use low-fat milk, but use full-fat Greek yoghurt (or homemade whole milk yoghurt ) - it's less likely to curdle, which won't hurt the taste but throws off the texture. 

Shared with Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

Creamy Tomato Soup
Makes 4 hearty servings

1 tbsp salted butter
1 large, sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29-oz) can or 2 (14.5-oz) cans fire roasted or no-salt-added whole tomatoes (or 4 cups home-roasted tomatoes, which I used)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup gluten-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp raw sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground white pepper
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried lemon thyme (or regular thyme)
3 tbsp fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients, partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. With an immersion blender (or in batches with a standard blender or food processor), puree smooth.
6. Serve hot. If freezing, stir thoroughly after thawing.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 211.1
Total Fat: 9.7 g
Cholesterol: 22.5 mg
Sodium: 498.1 mg
Total Carbs: 23.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.0 g
Protein: 9.9 g