Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup
I have been on a quest to find a good recipe for tomato basil soup since my college days. Back then, one of my favorite meals consisted of a bowl of tomato basil soup, a fresh green salad, and a slice of crusty bread.
No, this wasn’t normal dorm food fare. This simple and satisfying meal was served to me at a French country cafe called La Madeleine. Yes, going to school in New Orleans was a food lover’s paradise (hello, freshman 15!).
Moving back north after graduation, I said au revoir to my beloved tomato basil soup from La Madeleine. Over the years, I tried several recipes that looked like they might come close, but none ever did. Until now.
I stumbled across this Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup recipe on a site called realmomkitchen.com, which has many great recipes that use ingredients that most people have on hand.
Not only is this soup restaurant quality, but it is made in a slow cooker, one of my favorite appliances in the world.
I admit that I was a bit skeptical of the recipe at first, as it called for canned tomatoes rather than fresh ones, but they work very well.
Aside from the tomatoes and fresh basil (don’t use dried), I think the key ingredient in this soup is the Parmesan cheese. It really adds a rich creaminess to the consistency of the soup.
You can serve the soup chunky or you can process it with a blender. I prefer it processed, so once it finishes cooking I put it in a blender in batches – about 2 cups at a time, and then return the processed soup to the slow cooker and heat it through.
Crusty French bread begs to be dunked in this flavorful soup, so be sure to serve some with it. I have trouble finding crusty bread in the bakery at our local grocery stores, so I buy a take-and-bake kind that forms a nice crust. I usually buy several at once and freeze the extra loaves.
I recently googled La Madeleine and discovered that they now have a location in Tulsa, which is only an hour and a half away. I think a road trip is in order!
The bowl in the photo was purchased at Phoenix Fired Art’s Empty Bowls Fundraiser. Click here to visit Phoenix Fired Art’s Facebook page and learn more about their event that helps fight hunger in our community.
Living Life to The Fullest!
I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 360 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup carrot chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/3 cup basil fresh, minced
Ingredients
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|
- In a slow cooker, combine tomatoes, celery, onion, carrots and broth. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours.
- An hour before the soup is done, melt butter in a large pot on the stove. Add flour and whisk for 5 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the half and half, followed by 1-2 cups of the soup mixture from the slow cooker. Whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into slow cooker.
- Add the Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker and stir until cheese is melted.
- Mix in salt, oregano, pepper and basil. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.
- Serve chunky or process in blender (in small batches) until smooth.
