Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Two recipes in a row, who would've believed it? I made Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup. This recipe was pretty darn good! Again, I picked it because it looked easy (it's in the Crock Pot after all) and I already had everything. Plus the ingredients in this recipe are mostly stuff you'd normally just have hanging around in the pantry, which makes it even more awesome in my opinion.

 

CrockPot Version of the Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup 

Makes 8 servings   |   Ideal slow cooker size:  6 quart   |   Cooking time:  5-7 hours on low 

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 cup finely diced onions

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano

1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil

4 cups chicken broth

½ bay leaf

½ cup flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese

½ cup butter

2 cups half and half, warmed

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

 

1.  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.

2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

3.  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don’t be afraid to always season to taste at the end).

4.  Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy!

This is one of my pins from Pinterest, you can find the recipe here. And instructions for making it on the stovetop. A few notes, the parmesan cheese did not melt in well, in fact it was in stringy lumps at the bottom of the Crock Pot, maybe she used the powdered kind? Also, Mackenzie tried it before step 3 and said even that was good.

Easiness:
Yumminess: