Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 14.5 ounce cans (411 g) diced tomatoes, with the juice
- 2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 ribs celery, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
- 4 cups (946 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) fruit juice (or whole milk)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a large pot and heat over medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add the diced carrots, onion, and celery, stirring occasionally for a few minutes.
- Incorporate the canned tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, and dried basil into the pot. Allow the mixture to gently boil until the vegetables are tender.
- (Optional) Use either an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree the soup to your desired smoothness. Transfer it back to the pot.
- In a different pot, make the roux by melting vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Gradually mix in the flour, whisking continuously for about 10 minutes, until it turns golden brown.
- Introduce a generous ladle of soup to the roux, forming a thick paste. Add more soup gradually, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Blend this back into the main pot.
- Mix in the Parmesan cheese, fruit juice (or milk), salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Add more oregano and basil if desired, and stir thoroughly. Heat for a few additional minutes until hot.
- Store the covered soup in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Consider serving the soup in a delicious homemade bread bowl!
