The Ingredients Ina Garten Adds For Richer Tomato Soup

There is something about comfort food ... On those days when things just don't seem to be going your way, having your favorite meal can make all the difference. According to the City University of New York (CUNY), eating comfort food not only makes you feel in control and calm, but it actually reduces the release of stress hormones, so you are, in fact, comforting yourself.

There are many foods in America that people consider their comfort foods, and they vary by region. While everybody has their favorites, grilled cheese and tomato soup is a standout comfort meal amongst the classics, per World Food History. While tomatoes were introduced to the Americas around the 1600s, they didn't become an important staple until the mid 1800s. By 1897 the process of condensing soup for purposes of canning came into the mainstream, which is how we have the Campbell's tomato soup that graces many American pantries and was the star of Andy Warhol's paintings (via MoMA). While classic tomato soup from a can is a worthy companion to your favorite grilled cheese sandwich, Ina Garten has a trick that she uses to give even richer flavor to her recipe.

According to NPR, Ina Garten says that while writing her latest cookbook, "Modern Comfort Food," she thought back to her favorite comforting flavors of her life and childhood, and then she looked for ways to elevate them. Her trick to making a richer tomato soup is simple, yet unexpected.

Tomato soup is a fairly basic recipe, generally consisting of tomatoes, stock, onions, garlic, and seasoning. Garten's twist on the classic is simple, flavorful, and can easily be incorporated into your own recipe if you're just interested in tweaking your tomato soup recipe, not giving it a full overhaul. Per Barefoot Contessa, Garten adds not only a half cup of heavy cream to the pot but also a large pinch of saffron threads. (With a reputation for being more valuable than gold, you luckily don't need much saffron to add its unique, floral flavor to your soup.)

So next time you're feeling low, or just have a hankering for this classic comfort food, Garten's two simple tricks are poised and ready to elevate your next batch of tomato soup to ultra-comfort status.