Low Carb Tomato Soup (Easy + Keto!)

 Low carb tomato soup is wholesome nutritious sunshine in a bowl that prompts friendly smiles as it slowly warms you from the inside out.

Ingredients:

• ▢3 pounds tomatoes ripe! 
• ▢1/4 cup olive oil
• ▢1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• ▢8 pieces bacon
• ▢1 cup yellow onion chopped
• ▢1 tablespoon garlic minced
• ▢4 cups fresh basil fresh, loosely packed
• ▢1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• ▢1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢1 quart chicken stock
• ▢1/4 cup heavy cream option to use more for topping

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Quarter tomatoes (3 pounds), ensuring they're all roughly the same size.
• Toss in olive oil (1/4 cup), salt (1 tablespoon), and pepper (1 1/2 teaspoon) and spread onto a baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are nice and brown (will vary depending on how small your slices are).
• Cook bacon (8 pieces) in a large 8-quart stockpot until crisp.
• Allow cooked bacon to cool on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Remove all but 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease from stockpot.
• Add chopped onion (1 cup) and minced garlic (1 tablespoon), and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the roasted tomatoes and any accumulated juices, along with fresh basil (4 cups), thyme leaves (1 teaspoon), crushed red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon) and chicken stock (1 Quart).
• Bring stockpot to a gentle boil, then reduce and cook uncovered at a simmer for 40 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in cooked bacon (6 Pieces) and heavy cream (1/4 cup).
• Use an immersion blender to puree. Alternatively, you can ladle the soup into a blender, and blender*.
• Top with fresh basil, and bacon pieces (you should have 2 leftover pieces) and enjoy!