soups

Roasted Tomato Soup

I make this every fall when good tomatoes are still around. Roasting concentrates everything — sweetness, acidity, depth. Better than any can.

Serves 4
Prep 15m
Cook 1h
Total 1h 15m

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kgripe roma or plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 headgarlic, top sliced off to expose cloves
  • 1 largeyellow onion, quartered
  • 3 tbspolive oil
  • 1 tspsugar
  • 500 mlvegetable stock
  • 1 handfulfresh basil leaves
  • salt and black pepper
  • heavy cream, to finish (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Arrange tomatoes cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Nestle the garlic head and onion quarters among them. Drizzle everything with olive oil, sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Roast for 45–50 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized at the edges and collapsing. The onion should be soft and golden.

  3. 3

    Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins directly into a blender or large pot. Add all the roasted tomatoes, onion, and any juices from the pan.

  4. 4

    Add vegetable stock and basil. Blend until smooth — use an immersion blender in the pot, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender.

  5. 5

    Pass through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky texture, or leave as-is for something more rustic. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  6. 6

    Reheat gently. Finish with a swirl of heavy cream if you like, and serve with crusty bread.