My Favorite Tomato Soup
I am going to be completely honest with you guys, I am somebody who hated tomato soup for most of my life. The pale pink stuff that came out of the can just didn’t do it for me, and honestly kind of grossed me out. I have come a long way since the food preferences of my youth, and rather enjoy a good ol’ can of Cambell’s every now and then. But it does not compare to the real deal homemade tomato soup you get from end of summer produce. Trust me on this one, once you try this recipe and realize how easy and tasty it is to make tomato soup from scratch, you will never go back!
Just give the vegetables a rough chop, and smash the garlic. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until the vegetables start to caramelize, this is when the flavors really develop. Once roasted, simply simmer in a pot with water, bouillon, red pepper flakes if you like spice, and fresh basil (or other fresh herbs you may enjoy) and blend until desired texture. I like to get mine as smooth and creamy as my food processor will allow. This soup will definitely fill you up more than the stuff from the can because it does not exclude any of the wonderful fiber the vegetable provide!
Kitchen Tip!
A rimmed sheet pan is one of those must have items in your kitchen, especially when aiming to eat more vegetables! I have several different sized sheet pans for a variety of vegetable roasting needs. Having a rimmed edge helps prevent juices from spilling over and making a burned mess in your oven. The flavors deepen as those juices cook off, so we want to keep them in the pan with the vegetables. I will often roast a large pan of vegetables for the week and add them to many dishes, such as an egg scramble, side dish for lunches, or soups! It is necessary to also invest in parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat to prevent vegetables from burning to the sheet pan. Because we all know soaking and hard scrubbing is not ideal when doing dishes.
Health Benefit!
Cooked tomato puree is one of the best dietary sources of lycopene, a strong antioxidant linked to many health benefits. Lycopene is an antioxidant in the carotenoid family, and protects us against damage caused by free radicals in the body. If left to their own devices, free radicals contribute to oxidative stress which is linked to many chronic disease states. Aim to consume a diet with a variety of colorful produce to ensure you are getting lots of different antioxidants. Some nutrients such as antioxidants in the carotenoid family are more bioavailable when eaten in the cooked version, while others such as vitamin C, which is also an antioxidant, degrade when cooked. When getting lots of colored produce in your diet, focus on also eating veggies prepared in both the cooked and raw forms.
My Favorite Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb tomatoes, any shape, size, or type
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon vegetable or chicken bouillon (I like Better Than Bouillon brand)
- pinch red pepper flakes
- small handful fresh basil
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Rough chop tomatoes, carrots, and onion. Spread evenly on parchment lined sheet pan along with garlic.
- Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss until well combined and vegetables are evenly spaced apart.
- Roast vegetables for 45 minutes, or until they are starting to get dark spots and caramelize. It is okay if there are a few burned pieces. Give a quick toss at 30 minutes to ensure even roasting.
- Remove from oven and add to a large soup pot. Add water, bouillon, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 20 minutes to help flavors combine.
- Add fresh basil, and puree using an immersion blender. Alternately you may transfer to a blender but be very careful as hot soup can burn if splatters.
- Blend until smooth, and let simmer an additional 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes per preference.
- Enjoy with a melty grilled cheese! (I recommend fresh sourdough, sharp white cheddar, and if you are feeling daring, thinly sliced honey crisp apples.)
