Tomato Balsamic Soup

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of hot soup on a cold day? Soup is something I crave on cold days, and I adore this Tomato Balsamic Soup.

This past Thursday my husband and I went up to Vail to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. We scored an awesome deal at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa since it’s the off season, and when we mentioned it was our anniversary they generously upgraded our room to one with a mountain view. Our room was situated facing the mountain that the ski lift went up. We were surrounded by beautiful trees and a creek that ran for miles along the back of the resort. The resort was so inviting when you walked in, everything you would want in a ski resort nestled in the mountains. There was dark wood everywhere, a large roaring fireplace, heated hot tubs and pools, and a relaxing bar and lounge area facing the gorgeous mountains. It was everything we needed and more for a relaxing evening.

Before dinner we took a shuttle from the resort to Vail Village where we wandered around window shopping and stopping in for a couple piece of chocolate at a chocolate shop. Once the sun started going down the temperatures cooled off very quickly and I was glad to get back to the resort and stand by the fire. We enjoyed drinks and dinner in the bar while watching the Broncos football game. My husband feasted on a burger while I devoured a delicious salad complete with lemon bacon vinaigrette. The salad was incredible and I will definitely be recreating it very soon. When we returned to our room the staff had generously left us a bottle of Prosecco and a card congratulating us on our anniversary. We had dessert sent up to our room while we finished watching the game. Warm chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream for me and chocolate cake for my husband. It was the perfect way to end the day! The next morning I went for a run along the creek. It was freezing, but so peaceful and so many beautiful things to look at that I almost didn’t notice how numb my hands were. After my run we headed back to Vail Village to enjoy some hot coffee at one of the coffee shops and do some final window shopping. It was the perfect mini vacation and I can’t wait to visit again!

All of that cold weather had me craving soup, so I thought making this delicious Tomato Balsamic Soup would be the perfect dinner when we got home. While the soup tasted fantastic, the weather wasn’t exactly cold. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt! Luckily, the recipe made enough so that I could freeze half of it, and Monday is supposed to be cold and rainy, so it will be the perfect dinner! We enjoyed the Tomato Balsamic Soup with some grilled chicken, but the obvious thing to serve it with is an extra cheesy grilled cheese sandwich! However you enjoy this flavorful and healthy soup I promise you will love the slightly sweet and acidic taste that the balsamic vinegar adds to the classic soup!

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Yield: 4 servings

Tomato Balsamic Soup

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Smooth, rich tomato soup with a delicious tart sweetness from balsamic vinegar.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 (28 ounces) cans whole tomatoes, in their juice
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Chives for topping the soup (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until it softens, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add in the canned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes until they are all broken up. Add in the bay leaf, brown sugar, and chicken broth. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Once the soup is boiling reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Pull out the bay leaf and remove from the heat. Pour half the soup into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
4. Strain the soup and repeat the process with the second half. Return the strained soup to the pot and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook for several more minutes. Serve the soup immediately topped with chives.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from the America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2011

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 502mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 9gSugar: 17gProtein: 7g

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