Smoky Tomato Soup

Total Time: 52 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 22 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 leeks, light green and parts only, cleaned and finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, to taste
• 5 cups chicken broth or 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/4 cups milk or 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon tabascoâ® brand chipotle pepper sauce, to taste
• salt
• 3/4 cup crouton, for garnish (preferably cheese or garlic)

Recipe

• 1 in a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil over med-high heat.
• 2 add the leeks and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
• 3 add the carrots and celery and cook for another 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
• 4 add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until slightly softened.
• 5 sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, decrease heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until the flour is thickened and incorporated into the vegetables.
• 6 add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and broth; increase heat to med-high; bring to a simmer.
• 7 partially cover the pan, decrease heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and all the flavors are well blended.
• 8 with an immersion blender, puree the soup, or if you prefer a finer texture, use a blender.
• 9 if you want your soup totally smooth, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer after you have blended it.
• 10 add the milk to the soup over medium heat, stirring to combine, and cook for another minute.
• 11 add the chipotle sauce and season with salt.
• 12 ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish each bowl with a few croutons before serving.