Creamy herb tomato soup is where it’s at! Paired with a garlic thyme grilled cheese sandwich? Say no more!

But first, let’s talk about nostalgia. Many people look at food and forget that it is celebration, it’s memory, it’s love and it is most certainly so much more than nutrients, ingredients, and calories.

We all have those unforgettable dishes. Maybe it was grandma’s home cooking, or a memorable meal from a trip, or a warm bowl of tomato soup.

This creamy tomato soup is a fond memory I have from my childhood. My mom made the best, and easiest tomato soup, that I can’t quite make like she does. So in honor of her birthday (happy birthday mama!) I made her tomato soup to share on my blog, but I added rosemary and thyme to make up for her unique touch. I think the secret is in the homemade chicken broth (but who has time for that?).

I hope you enjoy a small piece of me while making this creamy herb tomato soup, pair with white rice and dill on top, OR a garlic thyme grilled cheese sandwich!

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts (8 cups) of chicken broth (for best flavor I recommend a homemade or local market broth, if using brand name – Swanson)
• 1 – 28 oz can whole tomatoes
• 1 cup (½ pint) of whipping cream 
• 2-3 Tbsp. flour 
• 6 Tbs. tomato paste 
• 1-2 Tbsp rosemary, chopped
• 2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
• Salt to taste 

Directions:

1. Reserving ¼ cup, bring the broth (just under 8 cups) to a boil in a large pot, then simmer. 
2. While the broth is simmering, blend the whole 28 oz can of tomatoes in a blender. 
3. Pour blended tomatoes and 1 cup of whipping cream into broth. You now have the start of a creamy tomato soup.
4. Place the rosemary and thyme in a cheesecloth or loose tea ball strainer. Place into the simmering soup. This allows the soup to absorb the flavors, without altering the creamy consistency of the soup
5. Starting with 4 tbsp. of tomato paste in a small bowl, whisk 3 tbsp. reserved broth to dilute the paste into a liquid. Pour into tomato soup. Season with salt and taste. If you want more tomato flavor, whisk and add 2 tbsp of tomato paste with broth, until desired flavor is reached. 
6. To thicken the soup, take 2-3 tbsp of flour and whisk well with chicken broth (if you ran out of chicken broth or poured it all into the soup, no worries, just use 2 tbsp. of the hot soup to mix). You want to really whisk the flour and liquid here to make sure that there are no clumps. When smooth, add the flour mixture to the soup and stir to thicken. 
7. This soup can be poured over white rice, and topped with dill or with a grilled cheese sandwich 🙂 

Bon Appetit my loves!