Fall is a great time of year to make and serve soup, that combination of vegetables, meat, or fish cooked in liquid can be thick or thin, smooth or chunky. Eric is a big soup fan. I mistakenly thought that bisques and chowders were two types of soup with dairy (usually milk or cream) in them, a bisque being the smooth version while a chowder is the chunky version. While that part is true, the additional requirement for a soup to be classified as a bisque or chowder is some sort of seafood in the mix. Without the seafood, it is considered a cream soup.

All of this became clear to me when I made this Fire-Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup for lunch. I didn’t know why is was considered a soup when I would have termed it a bisque due to the addition of the yogurt at the finish. In writing the recipe up for the blog, I researched the term bisque to understand why this recipe wasn’t considered one. Without the seafood, it is technically a cream soup instead of a bisque. And it is delicious! We love the creamy texture from the blending & the added yogurt. And, of course, the bold flavor from the fire-roasted tomatoes and the red pepper flakes. I’m stocking up on cans of those tomatoes to make this during the coming months!

Fire-Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup

Fire-Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup (adapted from cookinglight.com)  Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Makes 4 1-1/4 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté it for 3 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, the crushed red pepper, and the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Saute the onions.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute.

Add the tomato paste to the pot.

Add the stock, torn basil leaves, and tomatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook it for 8 minutes. Stir in the sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt to taste, if needed.

Add the stock, basil & tomatoes to the soup.

Using a wand blender, blend the soup until it is the desired consistency.

Puree the soup.

Place 1/4 cup of the soup and the yogurt in a small bowl, stirring them together until they are smooth.

Add some soup to the yogurt.

Stir the yogurt mixture back into the remaining soup.

Add the yogurt mixture into the soup.

Serve. Garnish the soup with additional chopped basil if desired.

Lunch is ready!

This soup will get us through both Fall & Winter!  ~Linda

Fire-Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup (adapted from cookinglight.com)  Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Makes 4 1-1/4 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté it for 3 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, the crushed red pepper, and the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Add the stock, torn basil leaves, and tomatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook it for 8 minutes. Stir in the sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt to taste, if needed.

Using a wand blender, blend the soup until it is the desired consistency. Place 1/4 cup of the soup and the yogurt in a small bowl, stirring them together until they are smooth. Stir the yogurt mixture back into the remaining soup. Serve. Garnish the soup with additional chopped basil if desired.