*CopyCat* Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

This yummy, cream-based vegetarian tomato soup is a perfect copycat rendition of the tomato basil soup at a little place I came to love during my time in Dallas ((La Madeleine)). I first came across La Madeleine while getting my Master’s at SMU and thanks to it’s proximity to campus – not only did I get a Master’s degree, I also became very familiar with the taste their signature soup.

The real key to this hearty, creamy tomato basil soup is the balance between the acid of the tomatoes, the fresh sweet basil and cream. In order to achieve that balance, a slow simmer of a short list of ingredients is key.

Here is what you’ll need ::

• canned crushed tomatoes
• petite diced tomatoes with basil
• tomato basil pasta sauce
• fresh pesto
• cream
• cream cheese
• Moscato wine
• sugar
• salt
• pepper

Thanks to the addition of diced tomatoes, this soup is slightly chunky. If you prefer a smoother soup, just swap the diced tomatoes for another can of crushed tomatoes.

To prepare this soup, add tomatoes, sauce, wine and pesto in a large soup pot and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Cooking this way allows the “canned tomato” flavor to disappear.

Next, add pesto, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup up to a low simmer and add sugar to taste (I added not quite 2 tablespoons). 

Adding the cream cheese is a little complicated, but only because I was trying to avoid little clumps of cream cheese throughout the soup. Heres the trick, add 3 to 4 cups of hot soup to a glass bowl. Place the ((room temperature)) block of cream cheese in the bowl with the hot soup and stir vigorously until the cream cheese has completely melted into the soup. Then add the cream cheese soup mixture back to the pot of soup. Stir to combine and serve.

Even after all of the years that have passed since my days in Dallas, my tastebuds still recall just how delicious and comforting this soup is. Just one bite and I am right back in that bustling bistro, taking a break from working in the lab, studying for tests or just looking for a yummy bowl of my favorite tomato basil soup!