There are a lot of tomato soups out there, but this one is our favorite. Whenever Duke asks what I’m making for dinner and the answer is soup, he gets so excited and exclaims “TOMATO?!?” And then immediately slumps over in disappointment if the answer isn’t yes.
My recipe is adapted from the queen Ina Garten’s Easy Tomato Soup. The main differences I’ve made are:
-using a mix of oil and butter for more flavor
-cutting down on the salt (even though salt is my BFF, I’ve found hers calls for too much salt even for me)
-pureeing it to make it a smooth soup rather than chunky
-and adding a little more orzo because it’s just so fun to eat!
We love to eat ours with rustic croutons and lots of cheese! I will never stop being amazed by how delicious warm, toasty bread + good butter and olive oil + a little salt and pepper can be.
Tomato Bisque with Orzo and Rustic Croutons
Ingredients
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano or Bianco DiNapoli are my fave!)
- salt & pepper
- ⅔ cup orzo
- ½ cup heavy cream
- gruyere or parmigiana reggiano for serving
- fresh basil thinly sliced, optional
For the croutons:
- 2 tbs butter (I'm a Kerrygold girl through and through)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 4 cups day-old sourdough or country bread cut into 1" cubes
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot over med-low heat.
- Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent – about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook one more minute.
- Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Take the soup off the heat and either use an immersion blender or transfer to an upright blender and puree until smooth.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo in salted, boiling water for 7 minutes. Drain the orzo and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking and set aside.
- Stir the cooked orzo and heavy cream into the pureed soup and taste for salt and pepper. Return the soup to a simmer and continue cooking on low for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining 2 tbs butter and 2 tbs olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the cubed bread and toss well, to coat each piece in butter/oil. Season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking the bread, stirring often, until lightly golden.
- Serve the soup with grated gruyere or parmigiano reggiano, fresh basil and croutons on top.
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