Ingredients (6-8 servings)
- 6 lbs ripe tomatoes (cherry, Campari, or Roma work well)
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 20-24 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Roast the Tomatoes
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the tomatoes with just enough olive oil to coat them lightly and spread them in a single layer on the prepared pan. If you’re using larger tomatoes like Romas, cut them in half or quarters first.
Roast for ~25-30 minutes. The tomatoes are ready when their skins have burst and they’re just starting to shrivel and caramelize around the edges.
Tent the pan with foil after you take it out of the oven. This helps trap the steam and makes the tomatoes even more tender.
Build and Simmer the Soup
While the tomatoes are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another couple of minutes until it’s fragrant.
Add the roasted tomatoes, including all the juices that have collected on the pan. Stir in the chopped basil and thyme leaves. Let this cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Let it bubble and cook for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the broth and the red pepper flakes, if you’re using them. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better if you have the time.
Blend and Serve
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it’s as smooth as you like.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender.
When blending hot liquids, always remove the small center cap from the blender lid and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel. This allows steam to escape and prevents pressure from building up.
Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve it hot, maybe with a swirl of cream, some grated Parmesan, or more fresh basil on top.
Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Ingredients (6-8 servings)
- 6 lbs ripe tomatoes cherry, Campari, or Roma work well
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 20-24 fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss tomatoes with olive oil, spread on baking sheet. Roast 25-30 minutes until burst and caramelized.
- Heat olive oil and butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onions with salt and pepper 5 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic, cook 2 minutes.
- Add roasted tomatoes, basil, and thyme. Cook 5 minutes.
- Add wine and vinegar, scrape bottom of pot.
- Pour in broth and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30-60 minutes.
- Blend soup until smooth with immersion blender.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
