Tomato Basil Sausage Soup
With summer comes fresh tomatoes growing in abundance! And when you live in a climate like mine – it could go from scorching heat, to constant rain, to 70 degree days, to nights as low as 49 F in July! What a ride. You never know if you’ll have an ice cream week or a soup week. Seriously…that is the Midwest! This Tomato Basil Sausage Soup was such a brilliant way to use up some of those fresh tomatoes from the garden. It really doesn’t get fresher than this! The big juicy chunks of Italian sausage, with that fresh basil also plucked from the garden. Have this with some crispy bread or some buttery crackers! I mean it was SO wholesome.
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Where does tomato soup come from?
Tomato soup itself traces back to Europe and America way back in the 18th and 19th century. This was around the time tomatoes were no longer seen as poisonous. Yeah, poisonous! Tomatoes came from Central America, spread to Brazil, and after that – they spread globally thanks to Spanish explorers in the 1400’s. At this time, people thought tomatoes were poisonous just because they’re a part of the nightshade family. They were totally outcasted! And by the mid-1800’s, tomatoes were finally accepted as a suitable food, with tomato soups showing up shortly after.
By the late 1800’s canned tomatoes became readily available in grocery stores and once Campbell’s Soup Company dropped their condensed tomato soup in 1897, it became a national staple!
Did you know?
Basil is part of the mint family! Even though it doesn’t taste like mint at all, botanically, it’s a Lamiaceae herb – which also includes rosemary, sage, mint, and lavender.
There’s also over 60 varieties of basil such as Thai basil, lemon basil, cinnamon basil, purple opal basil, and many more! Each type has their own flavor profile. Isn’t that neat? Basil is packed with essential oils, which is the reason for that incredible aroma!
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the tomatoes:
Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper
For the tomato basil sausage soup:
Ground Italian Sausage
Red Onion
Garlic
Olive Oil
Basil
Tomato Paste
Chicken Broth
Salt
Italian Seasoning
Black Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Heavy Cream
For serving:
Parmesan Cheese
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
What equipment do I need?
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Stockpot
- Cheese Grater
- Large Blender
- Large Baking Sheet
- Spatula
- Aluminum Foil
How do I make it?
To prep the tomatoes:
To get started on this recipe, first thoroughly wash the tomatoes.
Next, line a large baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and arrange them on the baking sheet cut side up. Drizzle them with the olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Broil on high for a while, until slightly charred and just starting to blister. While those broil, let’s prep the rest of the ingredients!
To prep the rest of the ingredients:
Peel and dice the red onion, then peel and mince the garlic.
Wash and dry the basil, then set all of the ingredients off to the side until ready to use.
To make the tomato basil sausauge soup:
In a large stockpot, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into large crumbles as it cooks. Once no longer pink, move to a plate covered with foil until ready to use, reserving any remaining grease from the sausage in the stockpot.
Next, add the rest of the olive oil to the pot with the sausage grease and sauté the onions for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
Stir in the garlic, then once fragrant, stir in the tomato paste. Cook that down for about a minute or so, stirring constantly.
Next, add the broth, blistered tomatoes and their juices, then bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium low, then simmer for a while, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, then carefully transfer the mixture to a large blender along with the fresh basil.
Cover the blender with a damp hand towel and pulse until smooth.
Pro Tip: Adding the lid to a blender filled with hot liquid is extremely dangerous! The steam can cause pressure to build in the blender which basically turns it into a bomb!
Add the tomato soup back into the stockpot along with the rest of the spices, and the Italian sausage.
On medium, bring the soup to a simmer, then simmer for a few more minutes.
Remove from heat, then stir in the heavy cream.
To serve:
Garnish the tomato basil sausage soup with freshly shredded parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips:
- For a vegetarian version of this recipe, just skip the Italian sausage and the parmesan!
- This tomato basil sausage soup will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months!
- No large tomatoes? Substitute with about 5 cups of fresh cherry or grape tomatoes! Just follow the same instructions, reducing the broiling time by about 5-10 minutes.
Still have more garden tomatoes to use up? Check these recipes out!
Have more basil to use up too?
- Veggie Wrap with Basil Tzatziki
- Lemon Herb Chip and Veggie Dip
- Blueberry and Goat Cheese Grilled Chicken Flatbreads
Tomato Basil Sausage Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For the tomatoes:
- 5 Large Vine Tomatoes quartered
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
For the tomato basil sausage soup:
- 1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Red Onion diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 5 Basil Leaves
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Italian Seasoning
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream
For serving:
- Parmesan Cheese freshly shredded
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Instructions
To prep the tomatoes:
- To get started on this recipe, first thoroughly wash the tomatoes.
- Next, line a large baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, then cut the tomatoes into quarters and arrange them on the baking sheet cut side up.
- Drizzle them with the olive oil for the tomatoes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Broil on high for 15-20 minutes until slightly charred and just starting to blister.
To make the tomato basil sausauge soup:
- In a large stockpot, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into large crumbles as it cooks.
- Once no longer pink, 5-7 minutes, move to a plate covered with foil until ready to use, reserving any remaining grease from the sausage in the stockpot.
- Add the rest of the olive oil to the pot with the sausage grease and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, then once fragrant, stir in the tomato paste.
- Cook that down for about a minute or so, stirring constantly so the garlic and the tomato paste don't burn.
- Add the broth, blistered tomatoes and their juices, then bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat, then carefully transfer the mixture to a large blender along with the fresh basil.
- Cover the blender with a damp hand towel and pulse until smooth.
- Add the tomato soup back into the stockpot along with the rest of the spices, and the Italian sausage.
- Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to warm everything through.
- Remove from heat, then stir in the heavy cream.
To serve:
- Garnish the tomato basil sausage soup with freshly shredded parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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