Creamy Tomato Soup

Can you tell I love trying new soup recipes?! Here is another wonderfully rich and creamy soup. SO tasty! Very much a bistro style tomato soup. I got the recipe from The Food Nanny cookbook. It was great tonight with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Creamy Tomato Soup

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
3 1/2 cups half and half
2 cups jarred marinara sauce (I used Newman's Own)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and cook, whisking, for 3-4 minutes or until a slightly golden roux is formed. Whisk in chicken broth and cook stirring until thickened. Stir in half and half. Turn heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Stir in marinara sauce, tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as is, chunky style, or blend soup in batches to make it smooth. I like it chunky, my kids like it smooth, so I blend half of it.