Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

Name: Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 1/4 cup, extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 medium, onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup); 3 medium, garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon); pinch, hot red pepper flakes (optional); 1 , bay leaf; 2 (28-ounce) cans, whole tomatoes packed in juice; 1 tablespoon, brown sugar; 3 large slices, good-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces; 2 cups, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons, brandy (optional); , Salt and ground black pepper; 1/4 cup, chopped fresh chives

Main Courses
Vegetables
Vegan
Vegetarian
Soups

Appears in Cook's Illustrated September/October 2008, America's Test Kitchen TV

Plain tomato soup can be thin and sharp. Adding cream—the usual stodgy solution—merely dulls it. We wanted to tame the tartness without losing flavor.

SERVES 6 to 8

Why This Recipe Works

This is a members' feature.