Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup
A vegan/vegetarian soup that can also be used in a spaghetti sauce. Tweaked from Ambitious Kitchen, this is a good way to use up a season's bounty of garden tomatoes. Sip a piping hot bowlful or freeze it to serve when the weather's cold. Add some to ground meat for a pasta bolognaise, and you have a tasty, wholesome meal.
Zip it up with the addition of cream or coconut milk instead of broth or water, then spoon yogurt, skyr, feta or parmesan into the middle of the bowl and add a bun or baguette alongside. Adjust the volumes of ingredients according to the weight of tomatoes you are using.
Note: I neither peeled the tomatoes nor strained the seeds. They're not noticeable after a thorough blending.
Serves: 4
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the tomatoes:
3 pounds Roma or plum tomatoes, cut in half
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced finely
3 tablespoons olive oil and more as needed
Freshly ground salt and pepper
For the caramelized onions:
1 tablespoon olive oil and more as needed
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
Additions to the soup:
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cups water or vegetable broth
Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
Optional add ins:
Light/Regular coconut milk for a creamy vegan soup
Whole dairy milk/heavy cream for a creamy texture
A tablespoon or two of butter, for richer flavour
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mince the garlic and slice the onions. Set the onions aside.
Grease a large baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper. Place the halved tomatoes on the baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the minced garlic on top of the tomatoes. Generously season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, make the caramelized onions: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pan and place over medium heat. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, but then more often as the onions cook, until they have completely caramelized and turned golden in colour, about 20-25 minutes. If necessary, add a few drops of water to the pan.
Once the tomatoes and garlic are done roasting, allow them to cool for 10 minutes to facilitate handling, then add them to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Next, add the basil and caramelized onions and blend again. Alternatively, add the ingredients in order to a large soup pot and use an immersion blender.
After blending, transfer the pulp back to a soup pot, turn the heat to medium-low heat and add in broth or water and salt and pepper to taste. Add sugar as needed to reduce acidity.
For a vegetarian soup, mix in any add-ons if desired (as listed above). Allow the tomato soup to simmer 10 minutes before serving. Serve with parmesan, skyr, yogurt or feta in the middle of the bowl, if desired. Top with olives, parsley, or garnish of your choice.
To freeze, use airtight containers. Thaw in the fridge.
A vegan/vegetarian soup that can also be used in a spaghetti sauce. Tweaked from Ambitious Kitchen, this is a good way to use up a season's bounty of garden tomatoes. Sip a piping hot bowlful or freeze it to serve when the weather's cold. Add some to ground meat for a pasta bolognaise, and you have a tasty, wholesome meal.
Zip it up with the addition of cream or coconut milk instead of broth or water, then spoon yogurt, skyr, feta or parmesan into the middle of the bowl and add a bun or baguette alongside. Adjust the volumes of ingredients according to the weight of tomatoes you are using.
Note: I neither peeled the tomatoes nor strained the seeds. They're not noticeable after a thorough blending.
Serves: 4
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the tomatoes:
3 pounds Roma or plum tomatoes, cut in half
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced finely
3 tablespoons olive oil and more as needed
Freshly ground salt and pepper
For the caramelized onions:
1 tablespoon olive oil and more as needed
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
Additions to the soup:
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cups water or vegetable broth
Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
Optional add ins:
Light/Regular coconut milk for a creamy vegan soup
Whole dairy milk/heavy cream for a creamy texture
A tablespoon or two of butter, for richer flavour
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mince the garlic and slice the onions. Set the onions aside.
Grease a large baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper. Place the halved tomatoes on the baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the minced garlic on top of the tomatoes. Generously season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, make the caramelized onions: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pan and place over medium heat. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, but then more often as the onions cook, until they have completely caramelized and turned golden in colour, about 20-25 minutes. If necessary, add a few drops of water to the pan.
Once the tomatoes and garlic are done roasting, allow them to cool for 10 minutes to facilitate handling, then add them to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Next, add the basil and caramelized onions and blend again. Alternatively, add the ingredients in order to a large soup pot and use an immersion blender.
After blending, transfer the pulp back to a soup pot, turn the heat to medium-low heat and add in broth or water and salt and pepper to taste. Add sugar as needed to reduce acidity.
For a vegetarian soup, mix in any add-ons if desired (as listed above). Allow the tomato soup to simmer 10 minutes before serving. Serve with parmesan, skyr, yogurt or feta in the middle of the bowl, if desired. Top with olives, parsley, or garnish of your choice.
To freeze, use airtight containers. Thaw in the fridge.