Tomato soup and grilled cheese. It’s an all-time favorite, an American classic.

When I was younger, my older sister, Tara Pelton, used to make me a special version of this classic to soothe my sickness – and my hunger. Instead of the usual ingredients, her recipe calls for ingredients such as parmesan, basil and onion.

This soup was not only my favorite soup, but it also reminds me of childhood; we now make it together as a family.

And let’s be real, tomato soup only tastes good when it doesn’t taste like tomato soup – so this is the perfect recipe. Masking the tomato is the secret to making good tomato soup.

So as we start off the frigid season of fall, gather your families or friends and warm up with a bowl of tomato basil soup. With this easy, step-by-step recipe, no stomach will go empty or unhappy.

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 10-ounce can tomato sauce

¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 medium white onion, diced

1 cup heavy cream

4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

Roux

3 tablespoon butter

¼ cup flour

1 cup heavy cream or half & half

Instructions

1. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and next 7 ingredients (through broth) to a slow cooker/crockpot. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low. (If you’re home, be sure to stir it every once in awhile)
2. About 30-40 minutes before serving transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, then return to crock pot or cooker.
3. Prepare the roux by melting the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.
4. Add flour to melted butter and stir until flour clumps up, then slowly whisk in the heavy cream or half & half until the mixture is thickened or smooth. Add the roux and parmesan cheese to crockpot or cooker and stir to combine.
5. Cook the soup for another 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted. Stir before serving, and top with additional basil or parmesan cheese if desired.

And most importantly, enjoy this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich!