Rich and velvety, this Creamy Tomato Soup uses canned tomatoes and other pantry staples like olive oil and dried Italian herbs combined with onion and garlic for deep flavor. It comes together in 20 minutes, and is comfort food at its finest!
Melt the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Better Than Bouillon, Italian herb seasoning, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn the heat off.
Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using an immersion blender (or puree it in batches in a regular blender). Taste and season with additional salt as desired.
To serve, transfer to serving bowls and drizzle pesto on top, if using.
Notes
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 7 cups total; each serving is 1 cup.
Gluten Free Version (Thickened with Cornstarch): Omit the all-purpose flour. Mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry. Add the slurry in step 2, along with the crushed tomatoes.