Tomato Basil Bisque
Rich and creamy bisque made from lots of tomatoes and fresh basil.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter - divided
- 2 cups yellow onions
- 1 cup celery - sliced
- 1 cup carrots - sliced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- ½ cup Dry Vermouth
- 15 ounces tomato puree
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes - Drained-reserve liquid
- 4 cups Chicken Stock - See Notes
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg - grated, optional
- 2 tablespoon Sugar - optional
Fresh Herbs
- 1 cup fresh basil - chopped, plus some as a garnish
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon Dry Basil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
- 1 Bay leaf
Here's What You Do
- Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter.
- Add the yellow onions; saute until they start to turn translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Add carrots and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and half the Herb and Spice Blend (less Bay Leaf); saute for about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Increase the heat; add the Vermouth and mix well; simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the tomato puree and drained whole tomatoes, roughly crushing the tomatoes by hand as you add them. Reserve the liquid from draining the tomatoes.
- As soon as the tomatoes are mixed in, add half the Fresh Basil and the Bay Leaf; simmer for 8 minutes.
- Rinse out the tomato cans with some Chicken Stock, then add all the stock. Bring it to a heavy simmer.
- Reduce the heat, cover the Dutch oven; maintain a low simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 30 minutes, add the remaining fresh basil; continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes, covered.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender or a blender until smooth.
- Return the Dutch oven to a simmer (medium heat). Add the heavy cream and 1 Tablespoon of butter. Gently stir until the cream has been incorporated and the butter has melted. Simmer slightly, uncovered, for about 5-10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed; if the bisque is too thick, add reserved chicken stock and/or tomato juice to thin; add sugar (if desired), salt, or cayenne, if needed. (See Notes)
- Grate about ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg onto the bisque and mix well. Serve with Croutons and garnish with fresh chopped basil to serve.
Notes
More detailed instructions with step-by-step photos, ingredient notes and substitutes, and more tips are available in my article, Tomato Basil Bisque.
This recipe makes approximately 2 quarts of soup. A serving size of 8 ounces is used for nutritional estimates.
This recipe calls for 4 cups of chicken stock, but have more on hand if needed.
After blending, if the bisque is too thick, add more chicken stock, liquid from the drained tomatoes, or tomato sauce. You can also use water, but this is not recommended unless you have nothing else.
Leftover bisque should be held in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. Check out the article for more details on storage.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 804mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 4006IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
