creamy garden tomato and quinoa soup

Fish & Seafood

Creamy Garden Tomato & Quinoa Soup

This hearty garden tomato soup is loaded with vegetables. To thicken the soup, we puree it before adding the quinoa. Half-and-half and milk add creaminess and cut the acidity of the tomatoes, adding balance and letting the garden-fresh flavors shine. Serve with crusty bread or grilled cheese for dipping.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 (28 ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes
2 ½ cups reduced-fat milk
2 cups half-and-half
½ cup red quinoa
fresh basil and/or flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes, until thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in milk and half-and-half. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until thickened and smooth, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, pour the soup into a blender. Secure the lid on the blender and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over the opening. Process until thickened and smooth, about 1 minute. Use caution when blending hot liquids.)
Stir in quinoa and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook, stirring often, until the quinoa is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with basil and/or parsley, if desired.