Secret Ingredient Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 oz. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions

1. In a soup pot, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and freshly cracked black pepper, about 10 turns from a pepper mill. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, just until the garlic has softened and smells fragrant.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring as it goes so the paste deepens a bit without sticking.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot, then stir everything together. While the soup starts warming, put the cannellini beans and their canning liquid in a blender and purée until completely smooth. Scrape the bean purée into the soup and stir again to blend it in.
4. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. When it is simmering, lower the heat to medium low and cook for 20 minutes, giving it an occasional stir.
5. Once the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, stir in the nutritional yeast. Taste, then season with salt as needed, about 1/4 tsp. Serve hot.