Homemade Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup is one of my absolute favourite soups. I love the savoury tang, and touch of sweetness, and how the basil, red wine, and tomato flavours meet. Oh, and we cannot forget the garlic; garlic really completes tomato soup. I usually make my tomato soup without measurements, or a recipe, so these measurements are slightly approximate. However, I do always use the ingredients listed, it's just that I change the ratios depending on the day, so no two batches are exactly the same. But if you use these ratios, and just remember to taste and adjust, I promise you will end up with a perfectly delicious tomato soup. 

Oh, one last thing. This recipe makes quite a bit of soup, but I like using these proportions, because I never want to worry about having a half can of tomatoes in my fridge. It's just a hassle. So, if you are making this soup for a family, it probably makes enough for 6-8 servings, but if you are just making it as a single person, to feed yourself, I recommend freezing some of the soup in individual containers. I always leave about 1/3 of the batch in a jar in the fridge, and freeze the rest in little containers, so I can eat tomato soup for supper whenever I want. It reheats very easily in a pot on the stove, just remember to put a little water in the bottom of the pot if you are defrosting the soup; this makes it easier to defrost.

Delicious Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, crushed an chopped
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups white wine (or red if you want a more full-bodied, savoury soup)
• 1 500ml can crushed tomatoes
• 1 500ml can whole tomatoes (not diced)
• 1 500ml can of water
• large bunch fresh herbs, finely chopped: basil, oregano, majoram and parsley
• 1-3 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 3-5 tbsp agave nectar, or to taste
• salt and pepper

Optional add-ins:

• 1/3 cup cooked rice
• 8 fully cooked homemade meatballs in 1/2 cup gravy

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions in and cook on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and cook a half minute more. Whisk in the flour until fully combined; this will keep the soup from separating in the fridge or freezer, but if you are gluten intolerant, you can skip this step, or use cornstarch instead. 
2. Pour in the white wine, and turn the heat up to high. Let the wine boil off for a few minutes, and then add the rest of the liquid ingredients, crushing the whole tomatoes with your hands as you add them.
3. Let the mixture simmer for an hour, partially covered, until the flavour has deepened and become full-bodied. At this time, add the fresh herbs, cayenne, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste the soup, and add a few tablespoons of agave nectar to take the bite off of it, and add a little of sweetness. The amount of agave you add is totally dependent on how sweet you like your tomato soup, so taste and regulate the amount yourself. However, even if you don't want your soup to be "sweet," still add a few tablespoons, because the sweetener balances the acidity of the tomatoes. If adding in the rice and meatballs, add them now as well.
4. Once you've added all the seasonings, bring back to the boil, and simmer again for a few more minutes to develop the flavour of the herbs and spices, and taste again, adjusting the seasonings if necessary. If you added the meatballs, make sure they are cooked through.
5. Ladle into bowls and enjoy with some crusty whole grain bread, or just on its own. With the rice and meatballs, this soup is a meal on its own! Without the add-ins, it is the perfect start to any meal.