Nordstrom, an American department store that dates back to 1901, might be your go-to place for new pants, a sporty winter coat, holiday gifts, and—tomato soup? Not just a place for clothes, this retailer operates about 200 restaurants and cafes in its stores. You can grab gelato, a cocktail, a sandwich, and yes, tomato soup. According to (Internet) legends, Nordstrom’s creamy, lightly sweet tomato basil soup was developed by an employee for the opening of an Overland Park, Kansas, store in 1998. The Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook has the official soup recipe, but I couldn’t resist coming up with my own version. Here’s how I did it.
No celery:
While many tomato soup recipes begin by sautéing onions, carrots, and celery, the Nordstrom soup starts simply with butter, onions, and lots of carrots. The sweetness of both vegetables balances out the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
Basil, three ways:
To get the most basil flavor, I added dried Italian seasoning to the aromatics, then simmered whole sprigs of fresh basil in the soup. Just before pureeing the soup, I removed the long-cooked sprigs and added plenty of fresh, sliced basil.
The finishing touches:
After the soup has been pureed, stir in 1 cup of heavy cream. It’s just enough to add a mellow richness that still lets the tomato flavor shine through. Because tomato soup needs some sort of grilled cheese moment, I added a quick Parmesan and butter crostini. The crostini are crispy, cheesy, and perfect for dunking.
Did you try this recipe? Let us know in the comments!
