Start with:
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and brown the onions over medium heat - just a few minutes until they're tender and translucent. Add the garlic and brown for another minute or two.
Add (feel free to be flexible with amounts - this is just a guideline):
- 2 (28 oz) cans of whole or diced tomatoes - I use whole and cut them up a bit. They seem a bit more flavourful than the diced ones. Add the liquid from the can also.
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup fresh basil if available, or a couple of teaspoons of dried basil
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1-2 tsp sugar, to taste (if I use more yogurt because it needs to be used up, another tsp of sugar or so is helpful)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Simmer until well-heated throughout, then blend with an immersion/stick blender. Add cheese as desired - I used a sharp vintage white cheddar (love Tillamook cheese!), a bit of parmesan and some Friulano cheese, a staple of my Italian grandmother-in-law's kitchen. Probably about 1.5 cups of grated cheese. Add pre-cooked orzo pasta to add some weight to the soup if desired - I love this. Serve with basic buttered biscuits and enjoy!
