Written By Ellen Welter, PT, DPT, COMT, CN
Tomatoes are coming to a close now that the weather is turning a little cooler, however I still am waiting on quite a few of my tomatoes to ripen in my garden. This soup is a delicious way to enjoy tomatoes, it’s fairly easy and quick, just the roasting takes about 45 minutes. The soup comes together quickly and is delicious served beside one of my favorite gourmet grilled cheese sandwich of brie, apples and fig spread. Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidant lycopene which has been linked to many health benefits, including reducing risk of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, folate and Vitamin K.
The following recipe is a combination of Ina Garden’s Roasted Tomato Soup and Ambitious Kitchen’s Roasted Tomato Soup.
Ingredients:
3 lbs of fresh roma tomatoes
6-8 cloves of garlic peeled
3 t. olive oil
salt & Pepper
2 yellow onions
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 teapsoon dried oregano
1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes
1-2 c. water or vegetable broth
Optional: Whole dairy milk, heavy cream, coconut milk, parmesan cheese, butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place halved tomatoes and garlic on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake 40-45 min.
- In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Use a blender or immersion blender to blend soup.
- Simmer for another 10 min. Add any additional milk, cream, cheese you would like.
- To serve, garnish with parmesan and serve with this delicious gourmet grilled cheese!
