La Madeleine’s Tomato-Basil Soup

La Madeleine’s Tomato-Basil Soup

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hrs
  • Servings: 8

    • Ingredients

  • 4cups fresh tomatoes, cored, peeled, and chopped (8-10) or 4cupscanned whole tomatoes, crushed
  • 4cupstomato juice( or part vegetable or part chicken stock)
  • 12 -14basil leaves, washed fresh
  • 1cupheavy cream
  • 1/4 lbsweet unsalted butter
  • salt
  • 1/4 teaspooncracked black pepper
  • lemon juice(optional)

    • Directions

  • Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan.
  • Simmer 30 minutes.
  • Puree,along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.
  • Excerpted from an article by Beverly Bundy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram around May 20. 1994.
  • She wrote, “Once a year, in January I run a column of our mostrequested recipes –This year, that column included the recipe for La Madeleine’s popular tomato basil soup. I continue to get at least 10 calls a week asking for the recipe. So here it is, once again — “.

    • Reviews

  • “I’m so happy to have the recipe!I made it last night and it tastes just like the soup at La Madeleine’s!It was easy to make and everyone loved it.I used canned, crushed tomatoes and 1 can of chicken broth with enough tomato juice to equal 4 cups of liquid.A new family favorite!”

  • “This is quick and easy to make and the flavour is wonderful. I used canned tomatoes and fresh basil. I would lighten it up next time by using a lighter cream or milk. Actually, we kept “testing” it as it simmered and both of us agreed that it would make quite a nice soup without the milk at all. I will make this again soon, and often.”

  • “The only change I made was using light evaporated milk instead of cream. This soup with deliciously simple to make and tasting.”

  • “I made this soup yesterday.After reading other reviews I added a tsp of minced garlic and onion powder and salt in when I simmered the tomatoes.I used canned whole tomatoes and fresh basil and I used 3 cups tomato juice to 1 cup veg. stock.I did opt for the lemon juice based on other reviews also.It came out really good.Not exactly like La Madeline’s but pretty darn close.I think it was a little thinner than LaMadelines version.I think next time I would use another cup or two of tomatoes and I think it would thicken it up a bit.Overall very good and would certainly make again.”

  • “The first time I made this recipe, I pureed hot tomatoes.Big mistake!Next time, I used pre-pureed tomatoes from the can and it tasted the exact same.Since then, I have used the pureed tomatoes in a can and substituted half of the tomato juice for chicken broth.Yum!!”

  • “The best soup I’ve ever made.The whole family loved it.My kids asked to take some for lunch the next day.Will be making again soon.The recipe is simple and I used my Vita-Mix to puree the tomatoes and basil together.Turned out perfect!”

  • “Pretty good.I made as written, with the exception of using 1/2 canned tomato and 1/2 fresh (come on it’s a drag to peel and core tomatoes) (oh, and I also added 1 tsp garlic, and 1/4 c onion).I wonder if it’s possible to cut back on the cream and butter?It was very filling, and a beautiful color.I used 14 (big) leaves of fresh basil, and it may have been OK to use a bit more (wasn’t a strong basil taste to me).I also added lemon, but it didn’t say how much to add, so maybe 1.5 tablespoons.I think balsamic vinegar might be a nice touch.I pureed half the soup, and left half “chunky” and mixed it together.Served it with Havarti and Gruyère grilled cheese (which when dipped in the soup put it into the next galaxy).”

  • “I have never been to La Madeleine, so I can’t say how close it tastes to their version.I didn’t puree the soup, as I had a VERY messy and painful experience last time I tried to puree hot soup, so I just finely chopped the basil beforehand.Also, I added garlic powder and onion powder for a bigger flavor.Finally, I topped with grated Parmesan cheese.The leftovers didn’t last long!”

  • “Delicious!I doubled the recipe adding a chopped onion and 3 garlic cloves which I sauteed in advance.I used canned crushed tomatoes and V8 juice with chicken stock.I did not see the need to process the soup.I really like the basil torn up into small pieces, so I didn’t want to process it.I made this for a group of precious friends and they all loved it.Thanks, will be making it again for sure!”

  • “very good.i sauteed some onion and garlic minced and added to first step & added some parmesan cheese per other reviewers.All enjoyed, adults and kids!”

  • “we loved this soup.It does remind me of Lamadeline’s soup.We eat there quite often.I did’nt have fresh basil so I substitued about 3 tsp. dried basil.I also used 3 cups tomato juice and 1 cup chicken broth. I also added about 1/8 cup sugar.This soup was wonderful.I will be making this in the winter months.”

  • “I made this tonight for a late New Years supper.It was delicious!I made it with canned diced tomatoes, and I didn’t puree it (we like the little chunks of tomato in it.I also used evaporated skim milk instead of the cream, and it was plenty rich enough.Definitely a keeper!”

  • “This soup was very very good! Next time I will try to cut own the amount of butter, don’t think it’s necessary.I used 2 cups of tomato juice and 2 cups of chicken stock.It was delicious!Try it!:-)”

  • “This was so good.We had an abundance of yellow heirloom tomatoes and used them in this recipe.I should have read the reviews about hot liquid and blenders but I did discover that about three ladels full of tomatoes worked fine in the blender.I used whole milk because I had that and I wouldn’t know the difference because I haven’t had this soup out and we will be making this again and again.”

  • “I made this last week and took to a friend’s house for a get-together….. we all loved it! We had it with some yummy grilled cheese sandwiches and I can’t wait to make it again! I used all tomatoes from my garden! This recipe helps to get rid of the tomato overflow that I have and tastes spectacular! I accidently added a whole pint (double the recipe) of heavy cream so it was REALLY creamy… but I almost want to do that every time because it was so good! 😀 I didn’t add the butter though. Didn’t think it would need it after all that cream. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is my new favorite! Also, I used dried basil because I was out of the fresh stuff… tasted just fine!”

  • “My first taste of this soup was a little disappointing – then after reading the reviews (while the soup was still simmering) I read a few reviews that said the lemon juice is a must!Fortunately I had a lemon in the fridge and added it and it made all the difference in the world!I followed the recipe exactly – using 1 cup of chicken stock and 3 cups of tomato juice and fresh tomatoes from our garden.I may try adding some garlic next time like some of the reviews said – just for a twist.My husband and 9 year old son were crazy about it!Thanks for sharing!”

  • “Good tomato soup. I used canned crushed tomatoes, so I skipped blending it.”

  • “Delicious! I was making this for Guadalupe House (The Tacoma Catholic worker) and needed a lot so I multiplied x4. Since you didn’t say what size can of tomatoes, I pictured the 28 oz size so did 4 of those. I used chicken broth and a small can of tomato paste since I didn’t have tomato juice.
    I’m really pleased and folks really liked it.
    Thank you!”

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