Description
Julia Child’s classic tomato soup delivers French-inspired comfort with silky richness and deep Mediterranean flavors. Fresh ingredients and careful technique merge into a velvety bowl that transports you to Provence with each warming spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce:
- ½ large onion, cut into large wedges
Proteins and Stock:
- 1 ½ cups low sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock
Dairy, Seasonings, and Canned Goods:
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) unsalted butter
- 1 (28-ounce or 794 grams) can tomatoes, whole peeled or crushed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- Carefully melt unsalted butter (4 tablespoons or 57 grams) in a spacious saucepan over medium heat, allowing it to become golden and fragrant.
- Introduce diced onion wedges (1/2 large onion) to the melted butter, gently sautéing until the pieces become translucent and soft, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring intermittently to prevent browning.
- Add entire can of tomatoes (28 ounces or 794 grams), including their natural juices. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, carefully break whole peeled tomatoes into smaller, manageable pieces.
- Pour liquid (1 ½ cups or 360 milliliters) of vegetable or chicken stock, ensuring thorough integration with tomato mixture. Sprinkle fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 grams), tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Gradually increase heat until mixture reaches a gentle simmer. Reduce temperature to low, cover the saucepan, and allow ingredients to merge and develop flavors for approximately 30 minutes, occasionally stirring and gently crushing tomato chunks.
- Transform soup’s texture using an immersion blender directly in the pot, pureeing until completely smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer warm mixture to standard blender, processing in small batches to prevent potential splattering.
- Evaluate soup’s consistency and flavor, adding additional salt or liquid (stock or water) if required to achieve desired thickness and taste profile.
- Ladle steaming soup into serving bowls, embellishing with optional garnishes like fresh cream, chopped basil leaves, crunchy croutons, or delicately grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Freezing in individual portions ensures quick, delicious meals are always ready when hunger strikes.
- Storing leftovers in airtight containers lets flavor profiles deepen and develop over several days.
- Cooking onions until translucent creates a sweet, mellow base that elevates the entire soup’s character.
- Gentle simmering coaxes natural tomato sweetness and ensures complete ingredient breakdown.
- Layering seasonings gradually while tasting helps build a perfectly balanced flavor journey.
- Choosing between vegetable or chicken stock adds unexpected depth and complexity to this classic comfort dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg