Homemade Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Freezer Friendly Recipes: Homemade Creamy Tomato Basil Soup in Minutes

Continuing with our Freezer Friendly Recipes series, here’s another great one to make and freeze!

Nothing is as homey and comforting as Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.  My mom always made it from a can when I was younger, adding milk instead of water and sprinkling it with basil to add some flavor.  I’ve found it to be very simple to make at home though from fresh or canned tomatoes and juice, and I usually can a few extra quarts just to make soup when I’m hungry for it.  All it takes is a few simple ingredients and you can have Creamy Tomato Basil Soup in about 45 minutes from scratch.  And you have the knowledge that all the ingredients are fresh and healthy.

How to Use Fresh Tomatoes in Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

If I don’t have canned tomatoes, or there’s a great sale on fresh ones, I’ll skin the tomatoes to make Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.   It’s really easy to do.  Simply boil a pot of water.  Once at a rolling boil, pierce the skins of the tomatoes, carefully place in the water and simmer for 30-60 seconds, until the skins start to peel back just a little.  Place them directly into cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them so you can handle them.  Cut out the core and the skin peels right off!  You are now ready to use your tomatoes for whatever you like, including Creamy Tomato Basil Soup!

• 1 lg can (or 1 qt) tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 C (or 1 pt) tomato juice
• 20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ C butter (½ stick)
• 1 C half n half
• salt and pepper, to taste

Place the tomatoes, juice, and basil in a saucepan and simmer 40 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes a little to break them up.

If freezing, cool, place in a labeled container and freeze.

To serve, melt the butter in the tomatoes and stir in the half n half.

Bring to a simmer and serve hot, adding salt and pepper to taste.

How to Freeze Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I love taking advantage of the fresh produce that is available.  I make up batches of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, stopping the process just before adding in the butter and half n half, and freeze it at that point.  When I get the itch for some seriously tasty soup, I thaw the Creamy Tomato Basil Soup in the microwave or refrigerator (overnight), then add in the half n half and butter as the recipe calls for.  The flavor is just as good as making it fresh, and you can enjoy that beautiful fresh tomato and basil flavor in your Creamy Tomato Basil Soup anytime of the year.

Do you like making meals ahead of time and just pulling them from the freezer? I have more Freezer Friendly Recipes posted here! Check them out!