Tomato Herb Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1. Finely chop the garlic, then put it in a sauce pot with the olive oil, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked pepper. Warm the pot over medium-low heat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic softens.
2. Add the tomato paste, followed by the brown sugar. Stir it all together; the oil may still look a bit separate, and that is perfectly fine. Keep stirring as the paste cooks for 3-5 minutes, until the color moves into a deeper, almost burgundy shade.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Whisk until the soup is smooth, then bring the heat to medium and warm it through, stirring now and then. Serve hot.