Something very nostalgic, and reminds me of my childhood is Tomato Soup. I grew up having Knorr’s soups, tomato soup and the creamy mushroom soup were my absolute favourite. BUT THIS IS NOT IT! This is even BETTER.
This soup will give you all the feels this winter and is exactly what you need when you are all tucked in bed with a good movie night ahead of you. Keep some bread buns aside too, dipping them in this soup takes it to a whole another level.
Tomato Soup for the Soul ?
Something super healthy, which boosts immunity, increases metabolism and tastes great. That’s the easiest way to describe this Roasted Tomato Soup which would not only feed your tummy, but your soul.
Fresh flavours of Basil combined with richness of tomatoes and garlic is a very normal thing right? That’s when “roasting” come into play. If you are sick of roasting your friends, these ingredients are in need of roasting.
Roasting these with olive oil, salt and pepper accentuates the flavours of these beautiful vegetables giving you that hearty soup your body deserves.
How to choose the RIGHT tomatoes for your soup?
Now, had you been living in Italy or anywhere else in the Mediterranean – I would have simply recommended you to go to the farmers market, and buy yourself some rich red San Maranzo tomatoes.
Unfortunately, in India it’s very difficult to find such tomatoes. The vegetable ends up bringing in more sourness to the food than sweetness. Since, this recipe uses tomatoes as the main ingredient – it’s extremely important to find the right ones.
Instead of going to your local vendor, try procuring these at your local gourmet grocery stores where you find deep red coloured tomatoes, You can even replace the recipe completely with cherry tomatoes, more about which can be found written below.
Cherry Tomatoes vs Tomatoes
However, we should not judge a book by it’s cover. When you taste these tomatoes, you would find the cherry tomatoes being slightly sweeter than normal tomatoes, which gives this recipe that added delectability.
In scenario 1, if you don’t have cherry tomatoes – you may use normal tomatoes completely. However, be sure to add 1 tbsp of brown sugar to your soup to add that tinge of sweetness and richness.
In scenario 2, if you don’t get deep red tomatoes, it’s best to only use cherry tomatoes and you will be very satisfied with the outcome.
I like to use both and I like to balance the somewhat distinct yet similar flavours of both normal and cherry tomatoes.
The Power of a Dutch Oven
If you are not familiar with Dutch Oven, let me clearly point out that it’s not an oven-oven per say. It’s more like a mix of a casserole and a sauce pan and is used for baking, and to make soups (specially which has meat) and is also the preferred to cook any red or white meaty dish.
Dutch oven, made with enamel traps heat inside it which result in more flavours, softness and tenderness. In case of tomato soup, where there is no meat involved, it retracts the roasted flavours a bit better than a normal saucepan. HOWEVER, since no meat is used – a normal saucepan would give you brilliant results as well.
If you are looking to buy one. Le Creuset is best in the market but is TOO EXPENSIVE and I have not had the guts to buy it yet. I use mine from Amazon Basics – it’s fairly inexpensive compared to other ones and delivers fantastic results for anything from sourdough to soups.
Carb Options to-go with Soup
GET YOURSELF SOME BUNS WITH THIS SOUP! I am linking the recipe for my Garlic Dough Balls here. You may just Omit the Herbed Butter but dipping these dough balls in the soup will give it another life. Click here to go to it’s recipe link.
However, if you are not up for bread baking, get yourself some croutons and breadsticks and enjoy with the soup!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Sauce Pan
- oven
- Baking Tray
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- ¼ kg cherry tomatoes halved, you may replace with normal tomatoes
- ¼ kg tomatoes quartered
- 1 large onion quartered
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- few basil leaves
- ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 litre water or vegetable stock
- salt, pepper, oregano & chilli flakes to season
- croutons/breadsticks
- fresh cream to garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 180°C. Line your baking tray with a layer of aluminium foil and keep aside.
- In a bowl, mix together - tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil leaves and olive oil. Add a bit of salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking tray and roast for 15 minutes. When you kitchen starts to smell, you'll know your vegetables are roasted.
- Blend it in a food processor till it's smooth. To remove any seeds, it's better to strain the puree using a strainer.
- Pour into a saucepan or a dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add enough water until you reach the desired thickness.
- Perform a taste check! YUM! Oh no- is salt less? Add whatever you fancy - salt, pepper, oregano and red chilli flakes until it reaches YUM!
- Transfer into a bowl, garnish with some cream, throw in some powerful basil. Add croutons or breadsticks to the soup and eat fresh.
Someone once rightly said “a recipe has no soul, you must bring soul to the recipe”, so here I am, trying to bring my passion for food into easy to make recipes from around the world.
My name is Sohail Nath and I welcome you to my happy place, @boy.eatsworld.
This blog, my creativity’s nest covers travel inspirations, authentic yet homemade recipe and food blogs.