Tuscan Tomato Artichoke Soup - cooking recipe

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
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup nonfat half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, vegetable broth, roasted bell peppers, basil, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
Transfer artichokes, tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers to a blender using a slotted spoon; puree until smooth.
Stir half-and-half into the broth mixture in the pot. Add pureed artichoke mixture; stir slowly until blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese before serving.