As Fall approaches, farmers markets and gardens are overflowing with the bounty of summer harvests—especially sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes! On the coast, our evenings are growing cooler, making soup a welcome addition to the dinner table. There’s something about a warm bowl of tomato soup that just feels like home, especially when it’s made with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
A simple bowl of homemade soup is the perfect comfort food, rich in flavor and nostalgia. (Feel free to serve this with your childhood favorite grilled cheese sandwich — we won’t tell!) This recipe takes the classic up a notch by starting with a base of sweet, ripe summer tomatoes that are slow-roasted. Roasting intensifies their natural sweetness, bringing out a deep, robust flavor that’s hard to resist. With just a few additional ingredients, you’ll have a soup that’s not only delicious but also celebrates the best of the season’s harvest.
Roasted Tomato Soup
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
5 pounds small vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters, if large
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1-2 tablespoons sugar (depending on acidity of tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, additional to taste
1 head fresh garlic (keep whole)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, if desired
1 cup heavy cream
Sourdough or Ciabatta crispy croutons or toasted bread
Garnish: Basil leaves, if desired
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 325°F.
Place the tomatoes in a large non-reactive baking dish or a pan that will hold the tomatoes snugly. (I use a large stainless steel roasting pan.)
Add the olive oil, onions, salt, sugar and black pepper to the tomatoes and gently toss. Nestle the full head of garlic in the middle of the pan on top of the mixture. Place the thyme sprigs over the tomatoes and gently press into the mixture.
Roast the tomatoes for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. The tomatoes should be fragrant, juicy, and the onions should be soft. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside. Remove the spent thyme twigs and toss.
When garlic has cooled, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to remove the softened garlic and add to the tomato onion mixture. (Don’t worry about too much garlic — the slow roasting makes the garlic sweet.)
Transfer the tomatoes and all their liquid to a blender or food processor (in batches). Process until smooth and creamy. Alternately, you can use a food mill to puree the mix for a velvety smooth texture.
Place pureed mixture back in stock pot, add allspice, cloves, thyme, and cream and heat gently over medium heat until hot. Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Serve warm in bowls with either croutons or toasted bread slices on the side.
Soup will keep refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to one month.
VARIATIONS:
- If you’d like a thicker soup without adding dairy, omit the cream and use three or four slices of fresh bread torn into bits added before pureeing.
- Add 1 cup diced red bell pepper to the tomato mixture before roasting.
- Add a bit of spice with a pinch of crushed red chili flakes.
- Stir in a few tablespoons of basil pesto for a Tuscan flavor.
- Grate fresh Parmesan over the top of the hot soup.
