You say Tomato, I say Tomato! If you love tomatoes as much as I do, then you’ll have to try my Homemade Tomato Soup. It’s vibrant, fresh, flavourful and creamy and is sure to catapult you right back into your childhood days. We can all remember ourselves sitting at the kitchen table, indulging in a bowl of creamy tomato soup. Sometimes we enjoyed it as is and at other times, a spoonful of rice just hit the spot! Whether you're feeling nostalgic or looking to use up the summer tomatoes in your garden, then this soup is for you!
My Homemade Tomato Soup starts off with 2 types of tomatoes - grape and vine tomatoes! After all, two is better than one! Grape tomatoes are small, sweet and slightly tangy. These tomatoes have a lower water content relative to cherry tomatoes and boast a thicker consistency, making them the ideal base for this soup. And, you can’t have tomato soup without vine tomatoes, the quintessential tomato that makes this soup shine. Vine tomatoes are bright, fragrant, balanced, sweet and juicy. The tomatoes are then roasted in the oven until blistered and caramelized alongside onions, red peppers, garlic and fresh herbs. The tomato mixture is then added to the blender along with some chicken (or vegetable) stock and puréed until silky and smooth. Combine the puréed tomatoes with some cream and you’ve just created the most satisfying spoonful of soup! It’s simply the chef’s kiss!
What could be more comforting than a big bowl of soup?! Enjoy it as a main or serve it as a side - you really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For more fun and exciting soup ideas, try my White Bean and Kale Soup, Roasted Carrot Soup, Watermelon Gazpacho, and Classic Borscht recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients:
2 lbs grape tomatoes
1 lb vine tomatoes, cored and quartered (approx. 3 medium tomatoes)
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 red pepper, cored, seeds removed and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
2 garlic bulbs (See Notes below)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sweet paprika
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
A drizzle of heavy cream, as garnish
Store-bought or homemade croutons, as garnish (See Notes below)
Basil leaves, as garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and set aside a 9” x 13” ceramic or glass baking dish.
To the baking dish, add the grape tomatoes, vine tomatoes, onions, red pepper, garlic and thyme. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over top and season with paprika, salt, red pepper flakes and freshly ground pepper.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes have blistered and the garlic and onions have softened. Set aside and let the tomato mixture cool for at least 15 minutes.
Add the tomato mixture to a blender along with the chicken (or vegetable) stock and blend on high speed for 1 minute or until smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to blend the soup in two batches.
To a large pot, add the tomato mixture and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream, some croutons and basil leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Prepping the Garlic: Using a sharp knife, cut off the top of the garlic bulbs, approximately 1/4 inch or just enough to expose the cloves. This will allow the garlic to absorb the oil and seasoning and promotes a more even cook. The result - perfectly softened and caramelized garlic!
Homemade Croutons: You can go ahead and use my Crave-worthy Homemade Crouton recipe. But, if you’re short on time, then follow this quick method for delicious croutons in under 5 minutes. Simply grab 3 slices of your favourite bread and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the bread cubes to an oven safe 8” x 8” metal baking dish and drizzle 2 Tbsp avocado oil over top. Season with 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano and a pinch of kosher salt and red pepper flakes (optional). Give the bread cubes a good toss, ensuring they are well coated in oil and seasoning. Then, turn the oven onto HIGH Broil and broil for 3 - 4 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. I recommend keeping an eye on the croutons while they bake as oven temperatures may vary and the type of bread used may increase or decrease the bake time.