Homemade Tomato Soup

I dated this East Coast chef for about 5 years.  His food was exquisite.  His ability to use up foods and keep our food bill down I have yet to surpass.  He was singularly responsible for my love of food that I now have.  He had this philosophy that he would try anything once.  My thought the first time I heard him prattle on about this in his swoony Massachusetts accent was: Haha, No! And still even more NO. Yet somehow, this Italian managed to get me to eat things I had never had the opportunity (nor had any inclination!) to try. Since he was vegan he would do the cooking, and since I had no idea how to cook, I would do the enjoying.

After realizing that some people don’t have issues with nightshades,  I decided to include this gem.  This recipe is the love child of the recipe that he developed that showed me I didn’t dislike “Tomato Soup.” Until the morning he had me try this, my experience of tomato soup was seriously only Campbell’s. We all know that can of soup.  While I know that many of us have fond winter memories of this quintessential soup as children, let’s face it, it’s only good because we ALSO got a grilled cheese sandwich and added a big dollop of butter.

His original recipe was intended for restaurant quantities, so this is actually pared down with just a family in mind.  I also have added in more vegetables than he originally had because at the time, he was working for a downtown Portland restaurant that was a “cheap skate” (sic) with their vegetables and I was… let us say… less into vegetables than I am now.

The vegetables in this recipe are completely up to you. If you are nervous with the vegetables like I was, use a California mix (Corn, Peas Carrots, you know).  If you are feeling more adventurous, dry saute up some mushrooms or shaved Brussels sprouts. Cut and steamed asparagus would also throw in nicely at the end.

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Homemade Tomato Soup

The mother of all vegan tomato soups.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Servings 3

Author Frith (AKA Hannibal Woodward)

Ingredients

• 2-3 TBSP of Imagine No Chicken Broth
• 1 fennel bulb chopped
• 2 garlic cloves pressed and chopped
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups of favorite vegetables
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk.

Instructions

1. Saute fennel bulb until clear about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add garlic and saute a little longer.
3. Add in carrots, celery and saute until slightly browned.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients except coconut milk.
5. Cook for awhile on a low boil, high simmer.
6. When it looks cooked down, turn it off and wait about 5 minutes.
7. Then stir in the coconut milk.

Recipe Notes

If you choose a vegetable like cabbage or brussel sprouts, saute them with the carrots and celery.
Marianne thinks this would be amazing with Fire Roasted Tomatoes.
If you like, you can blend about half this soup to have a nice half chunky, half creamy soup.