When I was a little girl, I loved Campbell’s tomato soup with goldfish in it (anyone else?) or alongside a buttery, toasty grilled cheese.
Now at age 30, I guess not much has changed! I still love the combination of melty cheese and tomato soup on a chilly winter’s day; however, making your own homemade tomato soup is far easier than you’d expect. And it is so much healthier than the sodium-heavy stuff found on the shelf.
Roasted tomatoes may sound fancy, but the process couldn’t be simpler. They add such a depth of fresh flavor that canned tomatoes alone simply cannot achieve. PS: You can always add a splash of heavy cream at the very end to make this more of a bisque!
Stay warm everyone!
ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP
- Inspired by Ina Garten
- Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs. very ripe plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 14.5 oz. canned tomatoes with juice
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, stems discarded
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking sheet, toss together the quartered tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, and some sea salt and pepper. Lay them out in a single layer and roast them for 40-45 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, add the 1 Tbsp. butter and heat it on medium. When the butter has melted and is hot & foamy, add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flake and saute together for 10 minutes without burning. When the onions have browned a bit after 10 minutes, stir in the oven-roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes with all their juice, basil, thyme, and stock. Bring it up to a boil and then reduce to as simmer for 30-40 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
- The easiest way to puree everything together is to use an immersion blender directly in the saucepan and blend until smooth. Or, you can use a blender. Just be careful to not blend when it is super hot which will cause the blender top to explode off! Pour everything in a blender and wait 5-7 minutes for it to cool a bit and then puree. Tip: Just add a splash of extra stock if you need to thin it out. Serve as is or alongside a toasty grilled cheese sandwich.
Roasted tomato basil and grilled cheese – my favourite! 😀
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