Caramelized Tomato and Shallot Soup
Published October 7, 2024
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnishing
1 pound shallots, halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
3 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 6 cups)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup tomato paste
½ packed cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnishing
¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
28 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 235 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 678 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 15 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat if they begin getting crispy at the edges, until caramelized and jammy, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, place the chopped tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, toss and set aside, re-tossing occasionally to encourage the tomatoes to release as much liquid as possible.
- Step 3
When the shallots are caramelized, stir the tomatoes into the pot along with the garlic and the sugar. (Reserve the tomato liquid in the bowl for use in Step 6.)
- Step 4
Cook over medium heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot, until most of the tomato juices released in the pan have concentrated and the mixture is beginning to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 20 minutes.
- Step 5
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is caramelized and thick and there are brown spots on the bottom of the pan, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step 6
Pour the reserved tomato liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough water to total 3 cups. Pour the liquid into the pot, then stir in the basil, season with ½ teaspoon salt and again scrape any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer, then use an immersion blender to purée the soup to your desired thickness.
- Step 7
Stir in the cream, if using, and season with pepper and salt. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil.
Private Notes
Comments
According to Google: How much is 28 ounces of tomatoes? "One 28-ounce can of tomatoes equals about 10 to 12 whole tomatoes, peeled (or about 2 pounds) One 14-1/2-ounce can of tomatoes equals 5 to 6 whole tomatoes, peeled (or about 1 pound)." I used 1-1/2 28-ounce cans of tomatoes and the recipe was delicious. I drained the canned tomatoes in step 2 (obviously not adding any salt), and used the liquid in step 6. I loved the deep, tomato flavor!
Can good-quality canned tomatoes replace the fresh ones? Winter tomatoes seem hopeless.
So delicious! In the spirit of penne alla vodka, I added a bit of Tito’s in Step 5. Did not skip the cream (come on!) and paired with a Kraft singles grilled cheese. Drove away all my Sunday scaries.
In spite of the many comments saying this was too much work, too little flavor, made it anyway. Was confident I could give it a bit of zing to make it better. Added lemon, salt, hot pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar - still flat. I’ll go back to my go to: sauté onion, ginger, jalapeño, garlic. Add 50% strained Pom tomato’s and 50% homemade stock. Simmer for a bit and serve with a splash of cream.
Delicious!
I am a novice cook. Most people probably know that the tomatoes needed to be peeled. The directions did not give that instruction. Whoops ... definitely need to lose the skins. Otherwise delicious!