Simple Homemade Tomato Soup

• slices bacon, cut into small pieces↗4
• carrots, chopped↗2
• half of a yellow onion, chopped0.5
• cloves garlic, minced↗4
• tomato paste↗1.5 tablespoon
• flour↗1 tablespoon
• chicken broth↗4 cup

  more to thin out the soup at the end as needed

• dried thyme↗0.5 teaspoon
• bay leaf↗1
• one 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes28
• cream↗2 tablespoon

  optional - to add at the end as desired

• kosher salt to taste↗

  I like 1-2 teaspoons

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Cook Bacon: Fry the bacon in a large soup pot over medium low heat until bacon starts to get crispy and browned, about 5-8 minutes.

2. 2

   Add Veggies: Add the carrots, onion, and garlic to the bacon in the pan; sauté for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are very aromatic and tender.

3. 3

   Add Tomato Paste and Flour: Add the tomato paste – stir for a few minutes until you can see/smell the tomato paste starting to brown and caramelize. Add the flour and stir for a minute or so.

4. 4

   Crush Your Tomatoes: Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a bowl and crush them with your hands.

5. 5

   Cook Everything Together: Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay leaf to the soup pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in batches and return to the pot. Add cream if you want. Season with salt.