Unless made with perfectly ripe tomatoes, tomato soup can often taste acidic. That’s why it’s often tamed with the addition of sugar. Here, the boost of sweetness comes from carrots instead, which also thicken the soup and add a nice, velvety texture. Pair with grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches cut into sticks for dipping.

Serves 7

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped sweet onion (about 1 large onion)

8 ounces carrots (about 3 medium carrots), peeled and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cover and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes, uncovering the pot to stir occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and 3 1/4 cups water, along with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the basil. Working in two batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot, reheat if necessary. Ladle into individual bowls and serve. If packing in a lunch box, use a thermos.

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Make Ahead

The soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Information (1 cup):

Calories: 89 | Added sugar: 0 teaspoons or 0g | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sodium: 290 mg | Saturated fat: 5% of calories or 1g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 1g

Excerpted from "Half the Sugar, All the Love" by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, MD, MSPH. Photographs by Erin Scott. Workman Publishing ©2019.

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