Time to get reacquainted with comforting tomato soup

Do you tend to overlook tomato soup? I do. These days when there is soup on the menu, whether it’s at one of those soup and sandwich joints or any number of restaurants, there usually are plenty of more adventurous items on offer, like Thai lemon grass curry soup or Morrocan lentil soup. Tomato soup just seems sort of humble next to these choices.

But maybe I’m wrong. Because tomato soup remains one of the top sellers at the supermarket, right up there with good old chicken noodle. Clearly, plenty of people still see the appeal.

And recently, so did I. When visiting a friend, I was served a wonderful tomato soup, and it reminded me just how comforting and delicious it can be. So I got back on the tomato soup wagon, and have been playing around with versions since.

This is the kind of tomato soup that really is a meal, especially if you give it a good sprinkle of cheese on top. You also could use all fresh tomatoes, or some fresh and some canned, each of which will give the soup a different character. You also could use rice or any cooked grain instead of the orzo, and basil or oregano instead of the dill. And if you like a chunkier soup, skip the pureeing and just ladle it up.

And using vegetable broth will result in a purely vegetarian, even vegan (skip the Parmesan), soup.

___

TOMATO, ORZO AND DILL SOUP

Start to finish: 35 minutes

Servings 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 3/4 cup dried orzo, cooked and drained according to package directions
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

In a large pot over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrots and garlic, then saute for 5 minutes, not allowing the vegetables to brown. Add the tomatoes and broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer gently, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.

Carefully transfer the soup, in batches, to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender and puree right in the pot. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cooked orzo and dill, then season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with Parmesan, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 340 calories; 45 calories from fat (13 per cent of total calories); 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 560 mg sodium; 64 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 13 g protein.

___

Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.”