roasted tomato basil soup.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is one of my favorite lunch combos!  I really love tomato basil bisque, so I made a roasted tomato basil soup of my own.  I did not add any milk or cream, so it is a totally vegan dish! (without the grilled cheese, of course) I roasted the tomatoes with some garlic in the oven and added some cayenne pepper for a slight kick.  My house smelled AMAZING!  The aroma of roasted tomato and garlic filled my kitchen with deliciousness.  After the soup was done, I made a crispy grilled cheese with cheddar and pepper jack and topped the soup with some fresh basil.  Perfection.

RECIPE:

• about 15 campari tomatoes (these tomatoes are known for their juiciness, sweetness, low acidity, and lack of mealiness – you can use roma tomatoes as well!)
• 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, whole
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped – plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste
• olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

• preheat oven to 400 degrees
• slice the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet
• add garlic cloves on the baking sheet
• drizzle tomatoes and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper
• roast the tomatoes for 30 minutes
• remove from the oven and let cool until they are cool enough to handle by  hand
• in a dutch oven pot, heat to medium heat
• coat the bottom with olive oil
• add chopped onions and cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently
• remove the skins from the roasted tomatoes (this should be easy to do) and add to the pot along with the roasted garlic cloves
• add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth
• add fresh basil, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes
• lower heat to a light simmer and cover for about 20 minutes
• transfer to a blender and blend until smooth

note: I tried to use a hand blender to blend this soup, but it did not come smooth enough.  The seeds from the tomatoes were still present in the soup.  I recommend using a high quality blender such as a vitamix or ninja.

• add salt and pepper to taste
• pour back into the pot
• serve and garnish with basil – and grilled cheese cubes perhaps 🙂