Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

This creamy roasted tomato soup recipe was inspired by the abundance of tomatoes in my garden this summer. I’m so thankful because this is the best tomato soup ever! It’s plant-based, non-dairy, and contains no refined sugar. Simply roast whole garden tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and basil. Then blend the roasted vegetables until smooth and simmer for 15 minutes. Make this tomato soup now or freeze it for later.

If you have extra garden tomatoes this year, like me, why not try making this creamy roasted tomato soup? It’s super easy to make and tastes amazing! Homemade tomato soup not only tastes superior to store bought, it also looks different than canned tomato soup. It ends up having more of an orange hue because that’s the real color of cooked tomatoes! If the color bothers you, add a sprinkle of beet powder. It will change the color immediately to more of the red tone you are use to seeing. Either way, there is simply no comparison in flavor. This tomato soup is simply way better!

All you need to do is drizzle olive oil over tomatoes (with skins on), onions, and garlic cloves. Then sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and basil. Roast on a small baking sheet for 35 minutes and blend until smooth. Add this blended creamy tomato soup to a dutch oven along with water, honey, basil, and Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

This Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup is ready in under an hour and perfect for a cool fall day. Make extra and freeze it for a cold winter day by pouring cooled soup into a quart canning jar. Even after its frozen, it still tastes better than any can of tomato soup out there. It’s extra creamy with a touch of sweetness from the honey and tastes like real tomatoes!

Whereas store bought tomato soup usually contains dairy, sugar, and way too much sodium, this homemade soup does not! It’s plant-based and there is no dairy needed to achieve the creaminess in this soup. Plus, since you are making this soup at home, you get to control the amount of salt and sugar added.

As for the spices, dried basil is the only spice needed to compliment the tomatoes in the soup. Roasting the tomatoes and onions with olive oil enhances their flavor so much that very few other ingredients are needed. For an vegan option you can substitute the honey for agave nectar.

Ingredients:

• Organic Garden Tomatoes
• Organic Onion
• Organic Garlic
• Dried Basil
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Spring or Filtered Water
• Honey (local if possible) or Agave (Vegan option)
• Organic Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base

Kitchen Equipment:

• Small Rimmed Baking Sheet (8×12 inch)
• Non-Stick Foil
• High Speed Blender
• Dutch Oven
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

Tomatoes are full of lycopene, vitamins, and minerals. However, they are also acidic. The good news is that roasting them reduces the oxalic acid content. This makes tomato soup less acidic than fresh tomatoes. Lycopene, responsible for making the tomatoes red, is also a powerful antioxidant good for heart health. Tomatoes help reduce inflammation in the body, boost immune system function, help to lower cholesterol (LDL), and keep blood from clotting. Ever notice that when you cut a tomato in half it resembles the chambers of the heart? It’s no coincidence that they are heart healthy!

Combine roasted tomatoes with onion, garlic, basil, and olive oil for even more health benefits. Both onions and garlic are prebiotics (plant fibers that help feed the beneficial probiotics in our gut). Onions are rich in antioxidants, help fight inflammation in the body, and regulate blood sugar levels. Garlic helps boost immunity, regulate blood sugar levels, and is great for your skin as well. Adding basil provides even more antioxidants in this soup. Just like tomatoes and onions, basil works to fight inflammation in your body, may help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and can even help reduce oxidative stress.

I’ll stop there with all the health benefits of this Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup so we can get started making a batch. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Line a 8×12 inch rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil. The nice thing about using non-stick foil is it’s a heavy foil that can be used to pour the roasted tomatoes and onions into the blender without wasting olive oil or spices. Everything will slide off and into the blender. Plus, there is no mess!

Slice the tops off of 4 cloves of unpeeled garlic and place in a small 5×5 inch square of foil. Drizzle with Olive Oil and wrap the top to cover the garlic. It should resemble a small foil tent.

Next, rinse 2 pounds of fresh organic garden tomatoes under warm water. I have used Roma Tomatoes, Beefsteak, Heirloom, Cherry, and a combo of all of the above. This year I have an abundance of golden heirloom tomatoes and they work great as well. If you have garden tomatoes, that’s perfect. If not, I recommend buying some at your local farmers market, a local farm, or community garden. This recipe will also work with organic tomatoes from a grocery store. However, the fresher the tomatoes – the better the soup will be!

Slice tomatoes in half (with the skins on). Don’t worry about the skins or the seeds. The high speed blender will take care of those. Place the sliced tomatoes (cut side up) on an 8×12 inch rimmed baking sheet along with a small onion (cut in quarters). Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp of Olive Oil over the tomatoes and onions.

Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried organic basil over the top of the tomatoes and onions. Place the garlic cloves (wrapped in foil) on the baking tray and roast in the oven at 300 for 35-40 minutes until the tops of the tomatoes are bubbling and the onions are starting to brown on the edges.

Remove garlic from the baking sheet, open the top of the foil, set aside, and allow to cool slightly.

Lift the foil off the baking sheet (once its cool enough to touch) and pour the tomatoes and onions into a high speed blender container (I use a Vitamix) making sure to get all the olive oil and spices too. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, it should slide right out of the skins.

Add the garlic cloves to the blender along with 2 tablespoons of honey (local if possible), 1/2 -1 teaspoon of Organic Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base, 1/4 teaspoon dried organic basil, and a little more black pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour the creamy roasted tomato soup mixture into a dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 cup of spring water. Once it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-30 minutes, depending on how thick you like your soup. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will be. However, if you are pressed for time, 15 minutes will do.

Note: I have tried making this soup in only the Vitamix and skipping the dutch oven step. However, the soup didn’t thicken in the blender. If you don’t mind a really liquidity soup, then this may work for you. To me, there is nothing that compares to thick and creamy soup made in a dutch oven. And the more time you have, the better the soup will be!

Season with additional dried basil and black pepper. Enjoy now or allow to cool and freeze for later. Optional: top with a few organic croutons and fresh parmesan cheese. This soups also pairs great with brown rice. And of course is the perfect addition to grilled cheese!

Freeze the left overs (if you have any) for another meal by placing soup in a pint or quart canning jar. Pour a small amount of olive oil on the top to protect the soup in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, heat, and serve on a cold winter day~

Below you will find the recipe for my Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup. As always, I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own variation of tomato soup. Remember you can always change the seasonings. Please give this recipe a try first though. It’s a good one!

Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. If you haven’t tried making Tomato Soup at home before, what are you waiting for?

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