Making heartier tomato soup

[greygarious]

I typically make a big pot of soup every week, and have a soup + biscuit (or other bread) lunch most days. I previously posted about adding beans, cabbage, and mushrooms to make French onion soup into something more filling. Yesterday I incorporated beans into cream of tomato soup, which worked pretty well. Proportions were about a half cup of dry small white beans per quart of soup being made. I soaked and purposely overcooked the beans, then added the rest of the ingredients to the beans and their cooking water. Once everything has simmered and been pureed, I don't think you'd know it contained beans. Had I thought of it, I'd have included a little wine or vodka, since alcohol has the ability to release some of the tomato's flavor compounds. I was using canned tomatoes and that might have given them some extra zip.

I have read about pulverizing oatmeal and using it instead of dairy for "cream of" soups that traditionally go more heavy on dairy than cream of tomato does. I tried oatmeal in soup once and found it too mucilaginous. So I think beans (or cauliflower) would be a better way to reduce or eliminate dairy in other cream soups.

[ChiliDude]

I make a minestrone with soaked dried beans and barley plus aromatic vegetables. If you want 'creamy', roast some sweet potatoes, remove the skins, and mash them with a fork. Add the mashed sweet potatoes to the cooked beans before preparing the puree.

I know that it is redundant to suggest removing the skins, but I eat the skin when I have a roasted sweet potato when it is a side with some meat and another vegetable.

[megjp]

Red lentils or very soft chickpeas (though you may have to puree the latter) -- they give a nice heft to a soup.

[adventuresinbaking]

I add red lentils and soaked raw cashews to make a hearty soup.

[visciole]

I like to add small orange lentils and shredded cabbage to tomato sauce (Marcella Hazan's "Tomato Sauce II") to make soup. It's delicious, more filling than tomato soup, and the cabbage gives it a nice texture.

[hotoynoodle]

i've been eating lots of home-made bone broths to which i add 3-color deli slaw. it's like noodles, but super low-carb, and very filling.

this could also work with roasted spaghetti squash, but i can rarely find it.

[Cherylptw]

I recently made a chicken veggie soup in which I roasted off an acorn squash and pureed it with my roasted tomatoes for the stock..it was delicious and added just the right thickness to the soup.

[LNG212]

I've never made it but I recently had a roasted tomato soup with quinoa from Whole Foods. It was very good. It had a lot of body from the quinoa and was very filling. The quinoa added a "thickness" in a way but wasn't like individual grains or "toothsome", if you know what I mean. I guess they kinda "dissolve" (I know that's the wrong board but I can't think of a better one!).

[Emme]

adding quinoa *flakes* is great... they absorb the liquid and blend into the soup... sort of like oatmeal.

[LNG212]

Quinoa flakes, huh? I've never seen them in the stores. Thanks for the info - I'll have to look for them. I was wondering how they got the quinoa in the soup to not be like individual grains.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i'm not sure if Fairway carries them, but you can find the Ancient Harvest brand at Whole Foods. they come in a box, and they're usually in the breakfast foods aisle on the shelf with the hot cereals. looks like this:
http://www.celiac.com/glutenfreemall/...

[LNG212]

Cool. Thanks.

[Emme]

i have a bulk supplier now, but you can find them in the bulk bins at Whole Foods... (if you don't want to buy a box, or want to try a small amount first...)

[greygarious]

And I imagine, like beans or bread, don't change the flavor or texture of the soup by much, if at all. Some of these other suggestions sound delicious but, like my putting cabbage, whole beans, and mushrooms into onion soup, substantially change its character. Beans and quinoa provide a boost of protein in addition to the fiber provided by incorporating the other vegetables that have been mentioned..

[ipsedixit]

Tortilla chips.

[goodhealthgourmet]

if you like fennel, caramelize some and blend it into the tomato soup - gives it an incredible flavor and adds body. celery root is great too.

[hotoynoodle]

steamed and pureed parsnips.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i like to roast or saute them - sweetens the flavor.

[jmcarthur8]

I like the bean idea, too. And oatmeal just sounds icky. I've used mashed potatoes to thicken up soup, but beans are probably healthier for you.

[1POINT21GW]

White, or even wheat, bread (with the crusts removed) torn into small pieces is also a good, non-dairy, thickener.