Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

About This Recipe

The secret to great tomato soup is to roast the tomatoes first — concentrating their flavour, caramelising their sugars and burning off the watery character that defines mediocre tomato soup. The whole dish is built on this single technique. The result is silky, deeply flavoured, and worthy of a dinner party — yet just as fast as opening a tin.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 kgripe Roma or vine tomatoes(halved)
• 1 headgarlic(top sliced off)
• 2 mediumonions(quartered)
• 60 mlolive oil
• 1 tbspbalsamic vinegar
• 1 tspsalt(for the tomatoes)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1 Lvegetable stock(warm)
• 150 mldouble cream
• 1 tspsugar(to balance acidity)
• 0.5 tspsmoked paprika(optional)
• 1 bunchfresh basil(leaves only)
• 60 mlextra-virgin olive oil(for basil oil)
• salt and pepper(to finish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep for roasting

   Place tomatoes cut-side up on a tray. Add the quartered onions and the garlic head (whole, top sliced off to expose cloves). Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Roast slow

   Roast at 200°C / 400°F for 40-45 minutes — until the tomatoes are deeply caramelised at the edges and the garlic is soft and golden when squeezed. The smell is intoxicating.

3. 3

   Make the basil oil (optional but lovely)

   Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds, plunge into ice water. Squeeze dry. Blend with the extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth and bright green. Strain through a coffee filter for a clean basil-coloured oil.

4. 4

   Blend the soup

   Squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add the roasted tomatoes (skins and all) and onions. Pour in the warm stock. Blend until completely silky-smooth — about 90 seconds.

5. 5

   Strain and finish

   Pour through a fine sieve into a clean pot for an extra-silky texture (or skip for a more rustic soup). Stir in the cream, sugar, smoked paprika and a generous crack of pepper. Heat gently — DO NOT BOIL. Taste and adjust.

6. 6

   Plate restaurant-style

   Ladle into warm bowls. Drizzle with basil oil and an extra few drops of cream for swirl. Top with fresh basil leaves. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Tomato Bisque: add 60ml white wine in step 5; double the cream.

• •

  Spicy Variation: add 1 tsp red pepper flakes during roasting.

• •

  Indian Twist: add 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp coriander; finish with a dollop of yogurt.

• •

  Tomato-Red-Pepper Soup: substitute 2 roasted red peppers for half the tomatoes.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezes excellently for 3 months — freeze before adding cream.

Frequently Asked Questions