CHUNKY TOMATO SOUP CANNED TOMATOES RECIPES

Steps:

• In a saucepan (or soup pot), saute onion, celery and carrots in butter until soft but not brown.
• Add tomatoes and a small amount of vegetable (or chicken) stock/broth. Simmer 20 minutes.
• In a soup pot, combine sauteed vegetables, remaining broth and rice. Season with salt, thyme and pepper. NOTE: If you use the soup pan to saute the vegetables (step 1), you can just combine everyting in that one pot (and not dirty up another pan).
• Simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley and grated parmesean cheese, if desired.
• NOTE 1: TOMATOES: When using canned, diced tomatoes, don't use petite diced. I use Southern Home brand, which are more chunky. Also, just spoon the diced tomatoes out of the can and discard or save the juice for something else.
• NOTE 2: I used 2 (4 cup; 32 oz size) cartons of vegetable stock. I actually used one of vegetable stock and one of vegetable broth. If you don't want it vegetarian, you can use chicken broth and/or stock.
• NOTE 3: This would make a wonderful base for a vegetable soup; just add more carrots and celery and any other vegetables that you like.
• Enjoy!!

Steps:

• In a 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; add oil and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.
• To saucepan, add thyme, broth, and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with your fingers. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, 30 minutes. (Remove thyme sprigs before blending.)
• Using an immersion blender, puree soup in pot, leaving a fair amount of the tomatoes in chunks. Or, working in several batches, puree half (5 cups) of the soup in a conventional blender until smooth; return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.