Description
This Roasted Tomato Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring caramelized roasted tomatoes, garlic, and onions blended to a smooth, rich consistency. Enhanced with herbs like thyme and basil, and a touch of balsamic vinegar and sugar for depth, this soup can be served creamy or traditional, making it a perfect starter or light meal for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, halved
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 medium red onion, quartered
Seasonings & Liquids
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
Optional
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare vegetables: Arrange the halved tomatoes, garlic cloves, and quartered red onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle everything evenly with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast vegetables: Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and beginning to caramelize, enhancing their natural sweetness and flavor.
- Cool slightly: Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool a bit for easier handling.
- Transfer to pot: Move the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and onions into a large pot. Add the vegetable broth along with dried thyme and dried basil to the pot.
- Simmer soup: Bring the contents to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Puree the soup: Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree until velvety.
- Add vinegar and sugar: If you used a blender, return the soup to the pot. Stir in balsamic vinegar and sugar, then taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as necessary.
- Optional creaminess: For a richer, creamier soup, stir in the heavy cream at this stage.
- Heat through: Warm the soup over low heat for another 5 minutes to ensure it is evenly heated and flavors are combined.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately for best taste.
Notes
- Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best flavor.
- If you prefer a vegan option, omit the heavy cream or substitute it with coconut cream or a plant-based cream alternative.
- The balsamic vinegar enhances the roasted tomato flavor and balances the natural acidity.
- Adjust the seasoning carefully after blending since flavors intensify when pureed.
- The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
