Hearty Vegan Tomato Basil Soup Roast
Get Ready to Warm Up with a Flavor-Packed Tomato Soup!
Ready to turn your little picky eater into a tomato enthusiast? Check out this sensational recipe for an irresistibly scrumptious, comforting, and oh-so-flavorful roasted tomato soup. It'll have you whipping up batches in the summer to freeze and enjoy during those chilly winter months. Even store-bought tomatoes can't resist getting punched up with this easy-to-follow recipe.
- Yield: Feeds 4 hearty souls
Gather Your Ingredients (8)
- 6-6.5 pounds of plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise (a bit over 30 pieces)
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
- 1/2 a medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups of fresh basil leaves (a 2-ounce packet)
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the cut tomatoes on a large baking sheet (10 × 16-inch). Drizzle those plump little red guys with 1/4 cup olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Give them a good toss with your hands to coat them evenly, then arrange them cut side up, so they fill the pan.
- Bake the tomatoes for 50 minutes. Once they've had their time in the sun, remove the pan and set it aside.
- Warm up the rest of the olive oil in a big saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion for about 10 minutes, or until it's soft and has taken on a nice golden hue. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté for another minute before proceeding.
- Carefully transfer the roasted tomatoes, along with their juicy aromas, into the saucepan. Add the basil, thyme, and 1 cup water. If your tomatoes seem on the dry side, feel free to add an extra cup of water. Simmer for 15 minutes and then let it cool slightly.
- Blend the soup in batches in your blender, moving the finished portions to a clean saucepan or soup tureen as you go. You might want to strain the soup as you blend to remove any pesky skins or seeds, depending on the power of your blender.
- Serve up this lip-smacking soup piping hot, with crackers or chunks of some fresh, artisan-style bread on the side.
Adapted from the book Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann. Excerpted by permission of Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Originally copyrighted in 2008.
Fun Fact: Roasting the tomatoes helps concentrate their natural sugars, resulting in a sweeter soup and more enriched flavor. Don't be too concerned about the caramelization process leaving your soup dark; the vibrant red color of the tomatoes will still shine through.
What matters most is the love and warmth you'll share with each and every spoonful.
Soup: This flavor-packed tomato soup, adapted from the book Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann, is a nutritious and delightful dish that can be enjoyed anytime.
Instructions and Yield: To prepare the soup, simply gather ingredients such as plum tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, thyme, and olive oil. The instructions involve roasting the tomatoes, sautéing the onion and garlic, blending the soup, and serving. The recipe yields enough for 4 hearty souls.
Nutrition: By roasting the tomatoes, you can enhance their flavor and natural sugars, resulting in a healthier, tastier soup.
