Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

This is a recipe that I've been making variation on for years. It's one of the richest tomato soups out there, thanks to the balsamic vinegar. To neutralize the acid in the vinegar, you add some baking soda, which makes the soup foam up briefly like a science experiment, so it's a fun soup to make, too.

I'm sending this over to Souper (Soup Salad & Sammies) Sundays, created and hosted weekly by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen. 

Soup, soup, soup and a big pot of soup courtesy of Tylertronic.

 Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferrably imported from Italy
1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (or some of these tomatoes, if you have them)
1/3 to 1/2 cup minced basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup non-dairy creamer or milk*
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.

Add all the tomatoes, the basil, and the vinegar. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add baking soda and watch the chemical reaction. Stir in the creamer or milk and add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a blender and purée, or use an immersion blender. Heat through and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

*I use Better than Milk soymilk powder and mix it double strength.