Smoky Bacon Tomato Soup
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A rich tomato soup where crispy bacon fat kicks off the flavor base. Onions sweat down in that bacon greasiness till soft and translucent. Garlic added just before flour to unlock aroma. Flour cooks with constant stirring for a lightly nutty, thickened texture. Chicken broth wakes the stew followed by crushed tomatoes with a pinch of brown sugar to cut acidity. Salt and pepper tuned by taste. Simmer gentle to deepen flavors. Purée smooth with immersion blender—tip near bottom for no splash. Bacon bits scatter on top with shredded pecorino for salty creaminess. Swapped granulated sugar for brown, Parmesan for pecorino, cooked onion times shifted slightly.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
40 min
Servings:
6 servings
#American
#Soup
#Tomato
#Bacon
#Comfort Food
#Dinner
#Puréed Soup
Bacon grease as starting point? Always do that for flavor bombs. Onion needs time, getting translucent not burnt, sweet scent tells me it’s right. Garlic comes in late to avoid bitterness. Flour eggs it on, thickening base while toasting out rawness. Broth wakes everything up; canned tomatoes add body and tang—brown sugar cuts edge but never overpower. Salt and pepper are guides not law. Simmer time varies; watch bubbles and aroma. Blend immersive, at pot bottom for no splash disasters. Crisp bacon on top gives texture contrast. Pecorino swaps Parmesan to punch acidity with sharp saltiness. Learned adjustments over many tries, trust your senses more than clock. This soup builds character with patience.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded pecorino romano cheese
About the ingredients
Bacon furnishes fat and salt, but use thick-cut slices for crunch and deeper flavor. Substitute turkey bacon if you want less fat but expect less smoky depth. Yellow onion is preferred for sweetness and body; white onion makes it sharper, red would change the color drastically. Garlic mustn’t burn; keep on medium heat. Flour thickens—avoid skipping or soup ends thin; if gluten is a concern, substitute with cornstarch slurry near end. Chicken broth can be swapped with vegetable broth for a lighter, vegetarian-friendly option but lose some umami. Crushed canned tomatoes are easier and consistent—fresh takes longer and texture varies—always add a pinch of sugar to balance tomato acidity. Pecorino romano chosen for sharper, saltier bite than Parmesan but both work. Salt and black pepper always adjust to taste. Keep extra on hand.
Method
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat crisp bacon slices. Listen for the sizzle shrinking to faint pops. Remove bacon with slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain. Leave all the bacon fat in pot.
- Spoon away all but 3-4 tablespoons bacon grease to avoid greasy soup; too much and it’s heavy. Return pot to medium heat. Toss in chopped onion. Stir often; cook 6-9 minutes till onions turn translucent and soft but not browned. Smell that sweet onion aroma? That means sugars breaking down.
- Add minced garlic; cook about 45 seconds till garlic fragrance wakes up but never brown or it turns bitter.
- Sprinkle flour over veggies; stir constantly for around 2½ minutes so flour toasts faintly. This step thickens soup, preventing raw flour taste and making body.
- Pour chicken broth slowly while whisking; stops lumps. Bring to a boil.
- Dump in crushed tomatoes and brown sugar. Sugar balances the tomato’s tartness without making soup sweet.
- Add salt and pepper. Taste later to tweak seasoning but this is your base.
- Lower heat to medium-low causing a gentle simmer—small bubbles but not vigorous boil. Leave uncovered for about 18-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. This timing deepens flavor and helps soup reduce slightly, thickening naturally.
- When texture and aroma deepen, use immersion blender carefully. Keep blade near bottom to reduce splatter. Blend until completely smooth but texture will still have slight body from cooked tomatoes.
- Dish out soup. Scatter crispy bacon bits on top. Finish with generous sprinkle of shredded pecorino romano cheese for salty sharp punch.
Cooking tips
Start by rendering the bacon on medium-high; listen for sizzle diminishing—that’s the cue to finish or bacon gets rubbery. Drain bacon bits thoroughly to avoid greasy soup. Reserving bacon fat is key; it carries smoky funk that calculates everything. Leave 3-4 tablespoons—too much clogs the palate. Sweating onion till translucent lets natural sugars caramelize just enough—watch carefully to stop before browning. Garlic added just when onion softens ignites its aroma. Flour pre-cooked fully to avoid raw taste; stir constantly—lumps are nightmare here. Gradually whisk broth in to keep things smooth. When simmering, small gentle bubbles mean flavors marrying; vigorous boil disturbs balance and can thicken soup too fast. Use immersion blender close to bottom for smooth puree without volcano splatter. Taste midway and adjust salt or acidity—sometimes a dash more sugar or lemon juice needed. Lastly, bacon bits on top offer textural contrast while pecorino adds complexity. Serve hot with crusty bread for dunking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Render bacon on medium-high; listen for sizzle dying down. Render fully but avoid rubbery texture. Leave 3-4 tablespoons fat—too much clogs flavor, too little no depth. Bacon grease is smoky base. Use thick-cut bacon for crunch and robust taste. Turkey bacon works but loses smoky tone.
- 💡 Sweat onions gently till translucent. Watch for sweet aroma — sugars breaking down, not browning here. If brown bits happen, adds extra edge but can overpower. Stir often, heat medium. Timing varies; watch color not clock. White onion sharp, too strong for this. Red onion twists color, less classic.
- 💡 Add garlic late and cook just under a minute. Garlic burns fast—bitter turns soup sour. Stir constantly. Garlic aroma wakes soup, don’t let it darken. If burnt, tough to fix flavor. Minced fresh garlic only; no powders here.
- 💡 Flour toss on veggies, stir nonstop 2½ minutes. Toast flour pale golden, no lumps. Raw flour taste kills texture. Skip or short time makes thin soup. Use cornstarch slurry if gluten a concern near end but flavor difference noticeable. Stir fast, keep pot hot but no burning.
- 💡 Pour broth slow while whisking—prevents lumps. Broth wakes flavors after flour toast. Start simmer—gentle small bubbles, no boil. Vigorous boil breaks balance, thickens too fast. Time 18-25 mins reduces and melds flavors. Stir sometimes but easy to scorch if left dry.
- 💡 Tomatoes in with pinch brown sugar. Sugar cuts acidity without sweetness. Balance is key—too much turns sauce syrupy. Salt and pepper added now but adjust after blend. Salt pulls flavors together, black pepper adds subtle heat. Pecorino chosen for sharp salty bite over Parmesan; both work but pecorino punches acidity.
- 💡 Immersion blend with blade near bottom. Blend fully till smooth but still some body from tomato bits. No splatter volcano; careful angle and slow speed. Texture not just liquid, some tomato chunks remain for mouthfeel. Adjust seasoning post-blend. Tastes evolve when hot and cooled slightly.
- 💡 Finish with bacon bits scattered on top. Crisp, salty texture contrasts creamy soup. Pecorino sprinkles add sharp saltiness; melt slightly from heat. Serve hot with sturdy bread for dipping or topping. Soup thick but fluid; if too thick, thin with broth or water carefully. Reheat gently to avoid separation.
Common questions
Can I use turkey bacon instead?
Yes good lower fat but less smoky depth. Retains texture but flavor light. Add smoked paprika if missing smokiness. Crisp well or texture lacks punch.
How to avoid flour lumps?
Stir constantly when adding. Toast flour first. Whisk broth slow in steps. If lumps form, strain or blend later. Cornstarch slurry near end alternative but no same flavor.
Why add brown sugar?
Cuts tomato acidity without sweetness overload. Balances tartness. Skip sugar for natural tart if desired but flavor sharp. Brown better than granulated for subtle molasses hint.
How store leftovers?
Cool quickly, airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze if long-term. Reheat gently, stir while warming. Bacon bits lose crunch; add fresh if possible. Pecorino can be added again after reheating.
