Italian tomato soup is a hearty and warming dish. It makes a wonderful appetizer or lunch. Some Italian tomato soups are made with only tomatoes, onions, tomato sauce, and herbs. These soups are simmered over a low heat to bring out all the beautiful fresh flavors. Other soups feature cream, pancetta, celery, garlic, and other ingredients, which complement the tomato flavor.
You can make this soup with fresh or canned tomatoes. If you are using a can, make sure it is a good quality brand because a homemade soup is only as good as the ingredients you use to make it, and that applies to any soup recipe. A pumpkin soup made with a good quality brand of canned pumpkin can be just as tasty as a fresh pumpkin soup recipe.
Soups
An Easy Recipe for Zuppa di Pomodoro
The following recipe makes enough soup to serve eight people. It is up to you whether or not you add the heavy cream. It depends on the kind of flavor and consistency you like. Some people love creamy broths and others prefer their zuppa di pomodoro without the cream.
The pancetta is also optional and if you want to make a meat-free recipe you should omit it, and switch the chicken broth for vegetable broth. This is a very simple recipe to follow and you will find that the combination of fresh vegetables, herbs and flavorings give this soup an amazing flavor.
What you will need:
- 14 oz chicken broth
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 chopped yellow onions
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes, 28 oz each
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 chopped ribs celery
- 2 finely chopped carrots
- 16 oz heavy cream (optional)
- Pancetta (optional)
- 2 handfuls of croutons
- 1 handful of grated fontini and parmesan cheese
Heat the oil in a big pot over a moderate heat, and then add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook the vegetables until they are soft. Stir in the garlic. Crush the tomatoes in your hands and add them to the vegetable mixture. Add the broth, tomato sauce, thyme, parsley, basil, and salt and stir well.
Bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for twenty minutes, stirring often. Keep the heat low because if you overheat tomatoes they get bitter. Puree the vegetables with an immersion mixer or do it in batches in a food processor or blender. Stir in the heavy cream if you are using it.
Transfer the soup to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the croutons over the top. Sprinkle the grated parmesan and fontini cheese on top, and then broil until the cheese melts.
How to Make Authentic Italian Tomato Soup
If you enjoy making homemade soup recipes, you will love making pumpkin soup. Not only are there hundreds of ways to make this tasty dish but a good recipe for pumpkin soup will be fun to follow and easy to prepare.
Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org