Tag: tomato-onion soup

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Zott’s Tomato Bisque

For a late lunch yesterday at Rossotti’s Alpine Inn in Portola Valley I ordered their tomato bisque – very tasty!

I’ve got several recipes here for various kinds of tomato soup – but not for bisque. So I asked Gemini a few questions to help me out – how to make bisque:

Tomato soup is typically made with a broth or tomato base and can be either smooth or chunky. A bisque on the other hand is a creamy, French-style soup that’s always puréed until smooth and enriched with either cream or butter to give it a richer flavor and texture.

Basil oil is a fantastic addition! It adds a concentrated burst of herb flavor and a beautiful visual swirl right before serving. You can easily make it by blending fresh basil leaves with a neutral oil and then straining it.

Here’s where we ended up:

Tomato-Onion Bisque

Ingredients

  • 5 yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (Muir Glen organic preferred)
  • 1 qt vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
  • 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
  • 2 Tbsp butter (optional, swirled in at the end for extra richness)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional garnish: Basil oil or fresh basil leaves

Directions

  1. Caramelize the Onions: In a large pot, heat olive oil (or butter) over medium heat and add the sliced onions. After 10 minutes, stir, turn heat to low, and cover for 20 minutes while the onions begin to caramelize.Uncover and stir periodically until deeply caramelized (about 40–45 minutes total)
  2. Simmer: Add the canned diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes to let the flavors meld
  3. Purée until Smooth (The Bisque Step): Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot (or carefully transfer in batches to a stand blender) and blend on high until completely smooth and velvety.
  4. Enrich with Cream: Return the puréed soup to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream (and optional 2 Tbsp butter). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently warm for 3–5 minutes until heated through (do not let it boil after adding cream).
  5. Serve: Ladle into bowls and drizzle with basil oil if desired. Excellent served alongside cheese toast!

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Saturday Afternoon Tomato-Onion Soup

Here’s a great tomato-onion soup dish I made this afternoon after having a wonderful similar soup last week at Biba’s Ristorante in Sacramento! This takes some time but doesn’t require constant attention – ideal for a lazy afternoon where you might be reading or working on other things as well!

Try serving it with a piece or two of cheese toast! And, like great pot roast, this soup is even better warmed up the next day! It’s truly a treat and much more fun and tasty than just onion soup.


Ingredients

  • 5 yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes – 28 oz (I prefer Muir Glen organic)
  • 1 qt vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In large pot heat olive oil and add onions. Medium heat.
  2. After 10 minutes stir, turn heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Onions should be beginning to carmelize.
  3. Uncover and sir periodically. About 40-45 minutes total.
    4. 4, Add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes before serving.

First posted: January 18, 2020