Creamy Tomato Artichoke Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 0.5 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.75 cup nonfat half-and-half
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, vegetable broth, bell peppers, basil, and herbes de Provence; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer artichokes, tomatoes, and bell peppers to a blender; purée until smooth.
3. Add half-and-half to the pot; stir to combine with broth. Slowly stir in puréed vegetables until blended.
4. Stir in Parmesan cheese just before serving.