The BEST Tomato Soup EVER!

This is our go-to tomato soup. It's ridiculously easy and you're pretty much guaranteed to have all the necessary ingredient on-hand. It's seiously delicious and you should make it right now.

Tomato Alphabet Soup
Adapted from The Parsley Thief

Serves 8, makes about 8 cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 small cloves garlic, peeled & smashed

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes, pureed with the juice

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

6 ounces dry alphabet pasta

Directions

1. Melt the butter & olive oil in a large, heavy pot, over medium-low heat. Add the onions & garlic & cook until softened {about 8 minutes}.
2. Add the flour & stir to coat the onions.

3. Add the pureed tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, & a 1/4 teaspoon of both salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot & cook for 40 minutes.

4. While the soup is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta, according to package instructions, until al dente {about 7 minutes}. Drain & set aside.

5. Puree the soup in batches, using a food processor {or blender}. Transfer the pureed soup back to the pot, or a bowl & stir in the basil & cream.

6. Put about a 1/2 cup of pasta in serving bowls, ladle some soup on top & serve.

The soup can be made ahead & even tastes better the second day. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just make the pasta as you eat it, to prevent it from getting too mushy.