Here is my recipe for tomato soup, which started out as someone else’s recipe for tomato bisque, which I love, but I found it didn’t need quite that much cream, especially if you are serving with grilled cheese, yum!

Here goes:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 smashed garlic
• 1/2 of a white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and garlic in the pot with the melted butter until they are translucent, then add the rice and stir it around for a minute or two until it is coated in the in the butter. Then add the tomatoes, water and BTB. I slosh the water around in the tomato can to get out all the leftovers and then melt the BTB in the water before adding. (Here I will note that you can use broth instead of BTB and water, I just find it gives a nice rich flavor to the soup). Let it simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Then blend with an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a regular blender, remembering to take out the center piece of the lid and cover with a towel (hold the lid on too). Once all blended, do a final seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and mix in the cream. It is fairly thick so you can add water or broth to thin it out, if you like a lighter consistency.

For the grilled cheese, I recommend gruyere. 🙂

Perfect for a rainy day.