Garden Tomato Soup Recipe

Growing up, I mostly despised tomatoes with two exceptions: tomatoes fresh from the vine still warm from the hot sun and Campbell's tomato soup. So imagine my joy as an adult when I discovered the existence of real, homemade garden tomato soup. Heaven.

Our garden is kicking out a beautiful crop of summer tomatoes and we are enjoying them in salsa, chipotle salsa, and pretty much any way you can imagine a tomato. As for this soup, we are making big batches to freeze and enjoy all winter long. Mmm-mmm-good takes on a whole new meaning.

Garden tomato soup ingredients

• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, from forage fed hogs
• 2 T. butter, from grass fed cows
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 T. sea salt
• 1 rib of celery
• 1 medium carrot
• 8 cloves garlic
• 3 T. tomato paste – my favorite tomato paste
• 1 T. sprouted flour – buy sprouted flour here
• 4 cups chicken stock – learn to make chicken bone broth here
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds fresh garden tomatoes (or use 1 BPA-free can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes in a pinch)
• 1/2 cup raw cream, from grass fed cows – find raw dairy here
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

On the side

• Raw cheddar cheese, from grass-fed cows
• Sourdough bread
• Butter, from grass-fed cows

Gluten free/dairy free options

• Replace sprouted flour with 1/2 T. arrowroot powder
• Omit raw cream and butter
• Serve with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon, and salt

Garden tomato soup method

1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Then remove bacon from pan and set aside on a paper towel to drain. While the bacon is cooking, chop the onion, celery and carrots, coarsely. Mince the garlic.
2. To peel the tomatoes:
   • Place a pot of water on the stove and let it come to a rolling boil. Place your bowl of ice water next to the stove so it is easily accessible.
   • Using a sharp knife, slice a shallow X into the bottom of the tomato (opposite the stem side). Gently place the tomatoes into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds, but no longer.
   • Remove the tomatoes immediately from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and submerge in ice bath. Now the skin should slide off fairly easily. Once, peeled, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Leave bacon fat in the pan. Add butter, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle in flour and cook about 2 minutes more.
6. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, and tomatoes, and simmer on medium-low for about 30 minutes.
7. Remove from heat, remove thyme and bay leaf, and puree with an immersion blender. If you need to use a standing blender, blend in small batches to avoid burning yourself on exploding hot soup. Stir in raw cream, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve with warm sourdough bread, butter, and raw cheddar cheese. Learn how to make a good-for-you grilled cheese sandwich here that goes GREAT with this soup.
9. Save the bacon for another meal, add to grilled cheese sandwiches, or if GF/DF crumble bacon over your side salad.

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