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How to Make Quick and Easy Tomato Soup From Scratch

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken bone broth or stock
• ½ cup whole milk, half & half, or cream (Increase amount if you like yours extra creamy. I like mine subtly creamy.)
• salt and pepper, to taste (I add about 1 – 1½ tsp salt)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Once shimmering, add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper (if using). Cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
3. Add tomato sauce and broth/stock. Stir well to combine.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
5. Add the milk/cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Quick and Easy Tomato Soup From Scratch

Don't crack open that can of soup! This quick and easy tomato soup is simple, healthy, and only takes about 15 minutes to make.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Keyword: easy soup, soup, tomato, tomato soup

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken bone broth or stock
• ½ cup whole milk, half & half, or cream (Increase amount if you like yours extra creamy. I like mine subtly creamy.)
• salt and pepper, to taste (I add about 1 – 1½ tsp salt)

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Once shimmering, add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper (if using). Cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
• Add tomato sauce and broth/stock. Stir well to combine.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
• Add the milk/cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Is excellent served alongside grilled sandwiches and fresh fruit.

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My mind always jumps to warming dishes and hearty recipes like stews and soups as we enter these chilly months. It’s like a sweater in a bowl…only, less fuzzy.

I came up with this stew on a whim one afternoon while making dinner and have been making it ever since. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!

Questions & Notes

What kind of meat should I use for cozy beef stew?

While I call for “stew meat” in this recipe, bear in mind not all stew meat is of the same quality. I feel like my local grocery store carries very decent stew meat and when it is cooked for 1.5-2 hours it comes out very tender and tasty. I’ve had stew meat from other places that was like eating rubber no matter how long or gently it was cooked! Yuck! If you’re unsure that you can find decent quality stew meat and you don’t mind investing a little more, consider using beef chuck, short ribs, beef round, or something similar.

Do I have to use wine in this stew? What else can I use?

No, but it adds a nice flavor! If you’re worried about the alcohol, remember that the alcohol should mostly evaporate during the cooking process. Studies show that after 2.5 hours of cooking only about 5% of alcohol remains. The longer the cooking time and the higher the heat the more quickly alcohol will evaporate from a dish. Whether or not it ever completely evaporates is a debated topic. To help speed the process of evaporation I call for bringing the wine to a rapid simmer and stirring frequently for several minutes. Both these actions speed up the process.

If you want to ensure you are evaporating as much of the alcohol as possible, let the stew boil for a few minutes on the stovetop, stirring frequently, before covering it and transferring it to the oven. You can also opt to leave your stew in the oven for a bit longer – closer to 3 hours total. Just be sure to wait to add the peas until close to the end so they don’t get mushy. Adding frozen peas will also temporarily lower the temperature of the stew, so bear that in mind.

If you have a medical condition, religious conviction, or other reason for skipping the alcohol, go ahead and skip it – just be sure to make up for the missing liquid with extra beef bone broth which is the best substitute for wine.

What is the difference between beef bone broth and beef stock? Can I use either?

While both are made with similar ingredients, bone broth is usually cooked for a significantly longer period of time which gives it a deeper flavor and releases more of the nutritious components found in the bones. If you don’t have bone broth, you can certainly use beef stock, but the bone broth will give you a richer flavor.

I don’t have fresh rosemary – can I use dried?

Sure, you can use dried, but definitely use fresh if you can. The flavor of fresh rosemary is a little milder and much fresher (of course) than dried. I also feel like it stays softer than all those little hard bits of dried rosemary. Some of the leaves will fall off the rosemary stems while cooking which is totally fine. Be sure to remove the woody stems before serving. If substituting dried (which is more potent), use only about two teaspoons.

What should I serve with cozy beef stew?

I’m glad you asked! Even though the stew is great by itself, a loaf of fresh bread is always a welcome addition! I recently shared a recipe on Instagram for the easiest non-sourdough artisan loaf shaped like a pumpkin. (While it’s fun to shape it like a pumpkin you certainly don’t have to.) Here’s how you can make this delicious bread to go with your stew (I recommend making the bread ahead of time so your Dutch oven will be free for the stew):

Easy Non-Sourdough Artisan Bread

Combine 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp active dry yeast, and 1.5 cups warm water in a bowl.
Cover loosely and set aside to rise for 2 hours.
Place your Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 425F.
Dump out your risen dough onto a floured surface and kneed a few times, adding flour as needed, shaping into a ball. No scoring is necessary.
Place on parchment paper and [carefully!] place it into the Dutch oven. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until nicely browned.
Cool and serve! That’s it!

To shape into a pumpkin:
To shape it into a pumpkin, lay out 4 lengths of cotton kitchen twine in a starburst shaped pattern on your parchment paper. Place the dough ball on top and loosely tie opposing strings; trim off excess. Bake as directed. Cut off strings after baking. Place a cinnamon stick in the center for the stem.

How to Make the Best Cozy Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1½ pound stew meat (or other “Chuck” cut of beef) cut into bite-sized pieces (Be sure to read the note on the blog about stew meat!)
• 3-4 TBSP oil for searing, divided (I prefer avocado oil or olive oil.)
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 TBSP all purpose flour (I prefer using einkorn flour)
• ½ cup red wine (If omitting, substitute with extra bone broth. Please reference footnote.)
• ½ pound baby carrots, or large carrots chopped
• 1-2 cups beef bone broth
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered to bite size (Golden or multi-colored potatoes are best.)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried may be substituted)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. In a heavy bottomed oven-safe Dutch oven, heat 2-3 TBSP oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper, then sear in the hot oil on all sides until well browned. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
3. To the now empty pot add the remaining oil. Cook the onions and garlic until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes.
4. Once the onions and garlic are softened, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and flour. Stir vigorously and cook for about a minute, being sure it doesn’t burn.
5. Immediately add the wine to the pot, scraping the bottom to get up any stuck bits. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
6. Add the carrots, bone broth, vegetable stock, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and the cooked stew meat (along with any accumulated juices from the bowl) into the pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil. The liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables. If it doesn’t, add more bone broth or vegetable stock.
7. Once boiling, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours.
8. Add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Return to the oven, covered. Continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender and the peas are heated through, about 30 minutes more.
9. Remove any woody rosemary stems. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this cozy beef stew as much as my family and I do!

Blessings,
Melissa

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The Best Cozy Beef Stew

What could be better than a cozy beef stew on a chilly day? Enjoy this warming recipe with your favorite crusty bread for a comforting meal!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: beef and potatoes, beef and vegetable, beef stew, cozy stew, Fall stew, stew, Winter stew

Servings: 6 people

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 1½ pound stew meat (or other "Chuck" cut of beef) cut into bite-sized pieces (Be sure to read the note on the blog about stew meat!)
• 3-4 TBSP oil for searing, divided (I prefer avocado oil or olive oil.)
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 TBSP all purpose flour (I prefer using einkorn flour)
• ½ cup red wine (If omitting, substitute with extra bone broth. Please reference footnote.)
• ½ pound baby carrots, or large carrots chopped
• 2 cups beef bone broth
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered to bite size (Golden or multi-colored potatoes are best.)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried may be substituted)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• In a heavy bottomed oven-safe Dutch oven, heat 2-3 TBSP oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper, then sear in the hot oil on all sides until well browned. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
• To the now empty pot add the remaining oil. Cook the onions and garlic until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes.
• Once the onions and garlic are softened, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and flour. Stir vigorously and cook for about a minute, being sure it doesn't burn.
• Immediately add the wine to the pot, scraping the bottom to get up any stuck bits. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
• Add the carrots, bone broth, vegetable stock, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and the cooked stew meat (along with any accumulated juices from the bowl) into the pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil. The liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables. If it doesn't, add more bone broth or vegetable stock.
• Once boiling, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours.
• Add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Return to the oven, covered. Continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender and the peas are heated through, about 30 minutes more.
• Remove any woody rosemary stems. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

Notes

Even with high heat and long cooking times, it is always a possibility that a scant amount of alcohol will remain in the stew. If you cannot consume alcohol or wish not to, simply omit the wine and substitute more beef bone broth in an equal amount.

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

I’ve made this quick and easy soup many times over the last several years. It is definitely one of my go-to’s on a cold day or when I have nothing planned and am scrambling to think of something to make. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand, so there is very little planning needed.

A few tips that make this recipe convenient and accessible at a moment’s notice:

• I keep cooked chicken in the freezer in 8oz portions. It doesn’t even have to be completely thawed to add it to this soup (although being frozen will increase the time the soup takes to boil). Anytime you cook chicken breasts, make a few extra to stick in the freezer. Or use leftover rotisserie chicken!

• I would venture to guess that most people generally have butter on hand, but if you’re not really a frequent butter user, you can freeze it! Make sure it is wrapped in an airtight freezer-safe bag so it doesn’t take on weird smells. If you prefer not to use butter you can use an oil of your choice such as olive oil or coconut oil.

• This recipe is extremely flexible – if want two onions instead of one, do it! If you want to throw in some spinach to make it extra hardy, go for it! Use what you have available.

Making It Gluten & Dairy Free

I have started making the noodles for this soup separate from the soup itself. This method was recommended to me awhile back by an Instagram follower and it has worked so well for our family! My husband and kids love regular noodles made with wheat, but I need gluten free noodles. So I cook two different types of noodles and we can fill our bowls accordingly. Occasionally we will all have these Banza noodles which are made from chickpeas. I really like them and they have 11g of protein per serving!

To make it dairy free I use Earth Balance buttery baking sticks. You could just as easily use olive oil or coconut oil.

What to serve with your easy chicken noodle soup

This recipe doesn’t really need a side, but if you want to level up the coziness factor then a loaf of homemade bread is key! Even when I’m really busy, it’s super easy to throw the ingredients in the bread machine and push start!

If you’re looking for a quick and simple gluten free biscuit option, these biscuits by There Is Life After Wheat are a good option. I use her coconut cream tip to make them dairy free.

I hope this recipe gives you all the warm and cozy feels this Fall and Winter!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!