I have a thing about tomato soup. Namely, I will never turn down an opportunity to try a new one. From Italian recipes with bread to infusing it with cumin and chile, I'm forever in search of new ideas (and they often appear in this column). Rarely does a tomato soup take more than an hour to cook, and it's often made with canned tomatoes—perfect for winter. Sure, the traditional cream-based recipe is fantastic (especially with grilled cheese), but I'm always on the lookout for ideas.

This recipe from Stephanie Izard is among the best tomato soups I've ever made. The secret is not only to use apples, which help thicken the soup give it some body, but also to skip the stock and use apple cider instead. Along with white wine, it adds acidity and sweetness, which are also the best qualities in a good tomato. A hit of sambal paste (a vinegary, chile condiment) gives it a tantalizing kick. The result is an intense base of flavor, rich and satisfying.

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Stephanie Izard's Tomato-Apple Soup »