Creamy tomato bisque soup is filled with softened vegetables for extra flavor and pureed for an elegant but easy soup to serve as a dinner entree for 8 or appetizer for 16.
In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the onions, carrots, and celery until the vegetables are soft and tender. If the vegetables are still crisp, they will not blend as well into the finished soup so don't rush this step.
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk into the vegetables. Continue to stir the flour and vegetables until the mixture has turned a light golden color, about 3 - 5 minutes.
Pour the chicken broth into the pot while whisking the flour-veggie mix. Continue to whisk until the flour has been incorporated into the broth completely.
Add the tomatoes and dried herbs and stir. Tuck the bay leaf into the broth and turn the heat down to low.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in your soup pot. Otherwise, transfer it in batches to a blender to process.
Add the heavy cream and salt to the soup and heat over medium-low until smooth and combined.
Garnish with either chopped fresh chives, basil, or rosemary as desired.
Recipe Notes
Immersion Blender Notes:
You can use an immersion blender in an enameled cast iron pot like Le Creuset as long as you are careful to avoid touching the surface of the pot with the blade. Hold the blender head in the center of the soup and slowly rotate it around the pot avoiding the walls and bottom surface.
Storage:
This soup will not freeze well, the cream will likely separate from the tomato base. However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days and gently reheated over medium-low heat on the stovetop. To restore any lost consistency, you may wish to add a splash of additional chicken stock.