Description
This roasted tomato soup is a vibrant, fresh, and flavorful dish made from sweet roasted tomatoes, aromatic sautéed onions and garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh basil. It’s easy to prepare with simple ingredients and perfect for warming up on chilly days.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (any small- to medium-sized tomatoes will do)
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh basil leaves
Seasonings and Oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- fine sea salt
- freshly-cracked black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Liquids
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Optional Toppings
- freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- drizzle of heavy cream or olive oil
- croutons
- sour cream
- fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Roast the tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Quarter the tomatoes, or halve them if they are small, and place them cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Sauté the onion and garlic: While the tomatoes roast, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes, and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently, to deeply infuse the flavors.
- Combine ingredients: Add the vegetable broth, fresh basil leaves, and the roasted tomatoes along with their juices into the stockpot with the sautéed onion and garlic. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Purée the soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup until it reaches your preferred smoothness. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a traditional blender, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, and blend until smooth. Be careful with hot liquids to avoid splatters.
- Season the soup: Taste the blended soup and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, pepper, or smoked paprika as needed to balance the flavors perfectly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with optional toppings such as freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of heavy cream or olive oil, croutons, sour cream, or fresh basil leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- For puréeing with a traditional blender, work in batches and leave the lid partially open to release steam and prevent splattering.
- Use a wire rack to cool roasted tomatoes slightly so that excess moisture doesn’t get trapped.
- Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more or less vegetable broth depending on your preference.
- Optional toppings like Parmesan and cream add richness, but the soup is delicious on its own for a lighter option.
- You can substitute fresh tomatoes with canned whole peeled tomatoes if fresh tomatoes are not in season.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
