Condensed tomato soup alternative???

[Prairie~Phlox]

Does anyone have an alternative to buying condensed tomato soup? I do can, and could get tomatoes to make something, but I don't want to have to use a pressure canner. It's just so expensive and I'm not sure very healthy. We like it alone with grilled cheese or not diluted in a pasta dish.

 

Thanks,

Kristine

[VaKim]

We don't use the condensed soups for health reasons, but instead, you can just add a bit of sugar and salt (to taste) to regular tomato juice and heat it up. Tastes just like tomato soup.

[catz]

I have used a recipe really similar to this one (although I use 2% milk instead of cream usually). It's simple and about 100X better than anything out of a can.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/quick-creamy-tomato-soup-recipe/index.html

[Lady Marmalade]

When the tomatoes are plentiful in the garden, I'll make up a few large batches of homemade tomato soup (blended) and keep it in the freezer in quart jars. I leave a good inch at the top for expansion, but it works great. One quart jar is plenty for our family if we're eating it with grilled cheese or quesadillas.

 

It takes just a few minutes in the microwave to thaw the soup enough to dump it in a pan on the stove. All told, maybe ten minutes longer than opening a can and adding water.

 

Here's the recipe that I loosely follow.

 

Creamy Tomato Soup

 

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

4 cups freshly chopped tomatoes with their juices (alternately, use 1 quart canned tomatoes)

4 or 5 sprigs fresh herbs (My blend: 2 thyme, 1 rosemary, 1 sage leaf, 1 bunch basil)

salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium low heat. Add the diced onion. Cook the onion for about five minutes, or until translucent.

Add the carrot and celery. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic and bay leaf, stir and cook for another minute.

Pour the vegetable broth into the pot. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.

Add the diced tomatoes. If your herbs are in sprigs, just toss them in, you’ll retrieve them later. For basil, I like to chop it before adding, use about 6 good sized leaves.

Cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and any whole herb sprigs you used.

Grab your immersion blender and give the soup a good blending with it. Alternately, you can carefully pour the hot soup into a blender and blend that way, but be sure to only fill the blender jar half full at a time, and be very careful with the hot soup.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[Prairie~Phlox]

Thank you both!