Cream of Sun-Dried Tomato Soup

This sun-dried tomato soup borrows a French technique for building flavor: infusing milk with a clove-studded onion, whole peppercorns, and a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. That slow simmer turns plain milk into an aromatic base before the tomatoes even enter the picture.

Rice flour acts as the thickener instead of butter and wheat flour. Mixed into a cold milk paste and whisked into the hot milk, it creates a smooth, slightly silky body without the heaviness of a traditional roux. Barley or oat flour work the same way if rice flour isn’t in your pantry.

The sun-dried tomatoes get boiled separately in water to rehydrate and soften, then both the tomatoes and their cooking liquid go into the strained milk base. That tomato water is concentrated liquid gold. Don’t throw it out. Everything gets blended until smooth for a velvety, deeply flavored soup.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the rice flour paste into the milk briskly and continuously. Lumps form in seconds and are stubborn to dissolve once they set.
• Strain the infused milk through a fine-mesh sieve. You don’t want whole peppercorns or bay leaf pieces in your finished soup.
• The cream is optional but transformative. Even a tablespoon per bowl adds richness. Without it, you have a genuinely low-fat soup that still tastes luxurious.
• Garnish with fresh basil, chervil, or parsley. The fresh herb brightens the deep, concentrated tomato flavor.

Variations

• Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained) instead of dry for a richer, more intense tomato flavor.
• Add roasted garlic cloves to the blender for a deeper savory note.
• Stir in a splash of sherry just before serving for a warming, nutty undertone.