CREAMY ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Simple to prepare, delicious creamy roasted tomato basil soup. Great for an easy lunch served with bread or grilled cheese. This soup does sound wonderful. I believe that one can of tomatoes is about a pound, so I would start out using three cans of tomatoes. Hope this helps you.

We loved this soup! You get more than just soup! The strained leftovers make a sort of pesto. I sliced some French bread, toasted it,then spread some of the "pesto" on the bread and sprinkled it with grated Parmesan cheese and baked for about 10 min at 220. You can also use the "pesto", add some sour cream and grated Parmesan and make a delicious dip.

Excellent soup, though very similar to others I've tried from this site. I think its main distinction is the addition of onion, and a good amount of it at that. It may have added extra flavor but to tell you the truth, I didn't notice an appreciable difference than those I've made without the onion. I prepared the recipe pretty closely, only adding a couple dabs of tomato paste since my tomatoes weren't as ripe as I would have liked them to be. That proved to be a great addition! Loved the flavor boost it provided. I topped each serving with an red bell pepper and fresh basil for garnish. Fresh, simple and satisfying. And pretty too.

CREAMY ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1.2 kg 2½ lbs Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
600 g 1¼ lbs Grape (or Cherry) tomatoes, halved lengthwise
8 whole cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), deseeded and diced
2 potatoes (200 g 7 oz), diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 430°F | 220°C. Place tomatoes on a baking tray with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for about 25 minutes, or until soft and charred on the tops.
While tomatoes are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized pot/saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers (capsicum) and potato; cook while occasionally stirring, until the onion is transparent and the potatoes begin to crisp on their outer edges (about 6-7 minutes). Stir the tomato paste through the potatoes and onion; pour in the broth/stock; season with extra salt; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; simmer for about 15 minutes or until potato is just tender when tested with a fork. Add the tomatoes, garlic and basil to the broth (save 2 tablespoons of basil to use as garnish if you wish); continue to simmer until the basil is just soft (about 2 minutes). Blend soup using a stick blender until smooth.
Optional: Pour the soup through a strainer or colander to remove any skins and thick tomato pieces, for a textured smoother soup.
Sprinkle with extra basil, shaved parmesan cheese, and serve with cheesy, crusty bread.

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