Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup. . . simple, delicious and perfect for any weeknight meal.  Top it off with homemade croutons and you will be in love.

I’m giving you a little heads up that after today, my posting for the rest of the week is probably going to be nonexistent. My son gets home on Wednesday from his two-year LDS mission in Cusco Peru. I’m just a wee bit excited and I’m pretty sure my heart just isn’t going to be focused on my blog this week. These two years have actually gone by so much faster than I thought they would.  I can’t wait to see him, but I’m also sad to see it come to an end because he has loved his mission and isn’t ready to come home. Definitely bittersweet!

I’ve been on a bit of a soup kick lately. Even though it has still been warm during the days, mornings are definitely cooler which makes me want soup. Tomato soup is one of my all time favorites. Paired with a grilled cheese sandwich, it’s the perfect lunch and/or dinner on any day of the week.

This Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup is so good and simple to make. The first step of making this soup is done on the stovetop, but don’t let that stop you from making it.  I know there are some of you who just want to dump everything into your slow cooker and press start, but this extra step is really simple, I promise. Now about the homemade croutons, PLEASE make them! They are so simple to make and honestly make this soup even more fabulous. My boys couldn’t get enough of them. They were just eating them by the handfuls. Even if you’re making grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with this, I still highly suggest the homemade croutons.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go pinch myself for the millionth time because I still can’t believe Zach is coming home in two days!!! CRAZY!!!

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Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• SOUP:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained well, juice reserved
• 1 onion , minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth , plus extra as needed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons dry sherry (I used cooking sherry)
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• HOMEMADE CROUTONS: (Optional)
• 6 slices high-quality white bread (crusts removed)
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, onion, sugar, tomato paste, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until tomatoes are dry and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup broth, scraping up any brown bits; transfer to slow cooker.
2. Stir remaining 2 cups broth, reserved tomato juice, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until tomatoes begin to break down, 4 to 6 hours on low.
3. Discard bay leaves. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth, then transfer to large saucepan. Sir in cream, sherry, and cayenne and add additional chicken broth as needed to adjust soup consistency. Reheat soup over medium-low heat until hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
4. To make croutons: Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl and gently toss with melted butter and salt and pepper. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and crisp (about 20 to 25 minutes), tossing halfway through baking time. Let cool and serve with soup.

Recipe Source: ATK Slow Cooker Revolution