One of my favorite foods when I was a kid was tomato soup with saltine crackers. I’m not sure if it was the soup, or the fact that we ate it on days when I was snuggled up inside reading because it was cold or snowing. Whatever the reason, just thinking about it brings back warm, fuzzy feelings. Good memories!!
I make all sorts of yummy, healthy recipes and my kids complain, but when I make grilled cheese and homemade tomato soup, they act like I’m the best mom ever. This is a go-to meal at our house because it’s quick and easy, everyone loves it, and I usually have everything on hand.
A few months ago my mother-in-law was visiting and we decided to make this for dinner. She was telling me that they love the tomato soup at Chuck-a-Rama, so she had talked her waiter into telling her how they make it. So, I guess this is unofficially a copycat Chuck-a-Rama tomato soup recipe.
I loved it so much the first time I tried it, that I’ve been making it ever since. It’s not much harder than opening a can of tomato soup, but tastes so much better!
There are a couple variations to keep in mind based on what texture you like your soup, and how creamy you want it.
If you like it completely smooth, blend the tomatoes until no chunks remain. If you like a little bit of texture, just pulse the tomatoes in the blender instead. We go for something in between, so I blend half of it until smooth, then pulse the other half.
The creaminess can be adjusted as well. My family likes it extra creamy, so ours usually ends up a little lighter in color than the batch in the photo.
Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 T. butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic
- 2 cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 pint half & half
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft.
- Put tomatoes and cooked onion in blender.
- Pulse until roughly chopped (or blend if you like completely smooth).
- Put tomato/onion mixture back in the saucepan. Add basil, salt, pepper, and half & half.
- Heat over low heat until heated through.
