Italian-inspired soup featuring ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil for a creamy, flavorful meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes with juice
05 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
→ Liquids
06 - 2 cups vegetable broth
07 - ½ cup heavy cream
→ Cheeses
08 - 7 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon sugar
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Small bunch fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra for garnish
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste and cook for another minute to enhance depth of flavor.
04 - Pour in canned tomatoes with their juice, breaking them up with a spoon. Add vegetable broth, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove from heat and blend soup until smooth using an immersion blender or carefully in batches with a countertop blender.
07 - Stir in heavy cream, diced mozzarella, and torn basil leaves. Return to low heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until mozzarella melts and soup is creamy.
08 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with additional basil leaves, and serve warm.
