This delicious tomato soup has a rustic charm and the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. Top this tomato basil soup with some melty cheese for a comforting, hot soup any time of the year!
Amish Inspiration for This Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
This Amish are masters at food preservation. Tomato products are a great ingredient to preserve by canning, and canned tomatoes make an amazing soup! Since this recipe does not require fresh tomatoes or fresh herbs, it can be enjoyed any time of year – not just in tomato season!
Why You Will Love This Tomato Soup
Easy
This easy recipe is so simple to make. Sauté onions, add in garlic and roasted red peppers, then simmer with chicken broth or water, tomatoes, and carrots. Lastly, melt butter into the hot ingredients and blend with an immersion blender (or a food mill). Top the finished soup with your favorite cheese, and enjoy!
Healthy
This homemade soup is loaded with healthy, simple ingredients. You won’t find this level of nutrition in store-bought cans of tomato soup! Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, and garlic provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber in this soup. Chicken broth and butter offer healthy fatty acids and protein!
Delicious
This simple recipe has such a great flavor! Carrots and roasted red bell peppers add a delicious sweetness, and basil rounds out the acid level of the tomatoes to perfection. Onions and garlic add a delicious savory flavor, and butter finishes this soup with a creamy richness.
What Kind of Canned Tomatoes to Use?
My favorite kind of canned tomatoes to buy at the grocery store are called strained tomatoes. You can often find it in the same isle as the tomato sauces. I like this variety because it is the cheapest way to purchase canned tomatoes in glass ( I recommend avoiding cans for health reasons), and it already has the tomato skins and seeds removed. It is so versatile, I use it for everything from soups and stews to sauces, and more! If you are using your own canned fresh garden tomatoes that you preserved with a pressure canner or water bath, even better! Since they will be blended with a stick blender, you can use any pretty much any kind of basic canned tomatoes.
What Kind of Peppers to Use?
Roasted red bell pepper adds delicious sweet and earthy flavors to this recipe. This recipe works well with roasted red peppers from a jar, or you can also use fresh red bell pepper and roast it yourself following the instructions below! Make sure not to add the liquid from the jarred variety to the soup.
How to Make Roasted Red Peppers from Fresh Peppers
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut desired number of fresh red bell peppers in half from top to bottom, removing seeds and stems.
Place cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Place in the oven on the center rack and roast for about 30 minutes, until skin appears charred.
Remove peppers from oven and place in a large bowl, then cover bowl with a plate. Let rest for 20 minutes.
Remove the skin of the peppers by peeling with your hands and throw the skin away.
Once fully cooled, store in glass airtight container until ready to use.
Should Broth or Water Be Used?
This recipe is delicious with either chicken broth or water! If you want the deepened flavor and added nutrition of chicken stock, I recommend using a homemade bone broth or chicken foot stock.
Can This Soup be Canned?
This soup is not intended to be used as a canning recipe for home food preservation. Instead, we are using ingredients like canned tomatoes and canned peppers that have already been preserved to make this soup, along with root vegetables that can be kept fresh for months when stored properly. This is a great way to have variety in the winter months, instead of eating the same homemade canned tomato soup recipe over and over!
How to Store This Soup in the Refrigerator
Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze This Soup in Glass Jars
The best way to freeze soup in glass jars is to first make sure to buy high quality jars such as the Mason or Ball brand.
Next, make sure the soup is not too hot when pouring into the jar, or preheat the jar with hot water to prevent cracking. Make sure to leave about 3 inches of room at the top if the jar.
Next, place jars of stock in the freezer without a lid. This will allow the liquid to expand when freezing, without pressure building and breaking the glass. Once fully frozen (or the next day), secure the top with a lid.
When to Serve This Homemade Tomato Basil Soup
This a wonderful recipe to have on hand for a quick lunch, a snack, or to serve as a side dish with dinner!
How to Garnish This Tomato Basil Soup
Garnishing this soup adds texture and flavor. I love topping this soup with chevre, Swiss, cheddar or parmesan cheese, and even some fresh basil if I have any growing in the garden!
How to Make Amish Inspired Homemade Tomato Basil Soup
In a large pot, sauté onions with 2 tablespoons of the butter until translucent.
Add minced garlic and stir until just fragrant, then quickly add chopped roasted red bell peppers (canned or freshly made) and stir.
Add carrots, strained tomatoes, chicken stock or water, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Bring to a boil.
Reduce to medium heat and cook for about 30 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Make sure to stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed or the soup may burn on the bottom of the pot.
Add the rest of the butter and allow it to melt.
Blend with an immersion blender until somewhat smooth, (my personal preference is to leave a few small pieces of carrot for added texture).
Add extra salt to taste.
Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with your choice of cheese and other toppings of choice!
Enjoy!
Looking for More Soup Recipes?
Check out this Greek Lemon Meatball Soup, this Warming Winter Squash Soup, or this Creamy Potato Leek Soup!
Looking for Bulk Canned Goods in Glass OR Bulk Produce to Preserve at Home?
I love purchasing high quality organic foods in bulk from Azure Standard! They have great deals on bulk foods and are an amazing company.
Amish Inspired Homemade Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 stirring utensil
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pasture raised butter, separated
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 x 1 cm pieces
- 24 oz jarred strained tomatoes or homemade canned tomatoes
- 2 cups filtered water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil (or about 3 tablespoons/a handful of fresh sliced basil)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté onions with 2 tablespoons of the butter until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and stir until just fragrant, then quickly add chopped roasted red bell peppers (canned or freshly made) and stir.
- Add carrots, strained tomatoes, chicken stock or water, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to medium heat and cook for about 30 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Make sure to stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed or the soup may burn on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the rest of the butter and allow it to melt.
- Blend with an immersion blender until somewhat smooth, (my personal preference is to leave a few small pieces of carrot for added texture).
- Add extra salt to taste.
- Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with your choice of cheese and other toppings of choice!
- Enjoy!
