Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Herb Soup

Do you remember the commercial, the one with the little boy and a steamy bowl of tomato soup, the one that made everything “better?” It was the only 30 seconds when I was convinced that tomato soup must be the best soup in the world because between you and me, I had my doubts.

I didn’t grow up eating tomato soup, but I did grow up seeing those commercials. And to be honest, it just didn’t look appetizing to me. I imagined it tasted like warm ketchup, or hot watered down marinara sauce, and when you think of it that way, it’s not very convincing.

But in the last couple of years, I knew there must be something to it. By this time, I had fallen in love with tomatoes, so clearly, I am the one missing out. But I figured that if — no, when — I make it, I won’t be popping a can. I’ll make it from scratch, the right way.

I almost forgot about this little pact I made with myself until this summer, when we were driving up to the Tahoe area to drop off my son at summer camp. Along the way, we stopped in Truckee and grabbed some lunch. His choice? Tomato soup with grilled cheese. And he was in bliss.

He offered me a taste. I accepted.

And then I understood.

It wasn’t warm ketchup — no, I could taste the roasted tomatoes and herbs that made it comforting and delicious. I knew I would have to work on my own version when our tomatoes were ripe and plentiful.

My chance came when my friend Leslie dropped off some more beautiful tomatoes. This, along with our own harvest, went into the oven, along with cloves of garlic, chunks of shallot, and fresh herbs from the garden, all drizzled with olive oil. As it roasted in the oven, the smell was intoxicating, and I was beside myself with excitement — who knew I could get excited about tomato soup?

As I blended the soup and let it simmer, I felt that my tomato soup metamorphosis was nearly complete. It needed something cheesy on the side…so I made a batch of Savory Zucchini Scones. Spoonful after spoonful, with bites of cheesy scones, I heard my son say, “mom, this is the best thing you’ve made in a while.” The commercial was living out before my eyes…and yes, it made everything better.

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Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Herb Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup is rich in flavor from fresh, garden tomatoes roasted with garlic, shallots and fragrant herbs.

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5 from 4 votes

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 150kcal

Author Liren Baker

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 pounds tomatoes
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic
• ▢ 2 shallots peeled and halved
• ▢ 2 sprigs thyme
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ kosher salt to taste
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 quart chicken stock or vegetable stock
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• ▢ basil pesto optional, for serving

COOK MODEPrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack placed in the center of the oven.
• Slice the tomatoes in half and arrange on a baking sheet with the garlic, shallots, and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and fragrant, the shallots translucent and the garlic is bursting from the peel. This can be done in advance if you like.
• Remove the garlic peel and discard. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, shallot and thyme to a Dutch oven or large pot, along with all the juices.
• Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 
• Remove any thyme stems and the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender (in batches) and pulse the soup until smooth. If you prefer a smoother soup, pass through a strainer.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a drizzle of basil pesto. Perfect with Savory Zucchini Scones.

Instructions for Pressure Cooker/Multicooker/Instant Pot

• Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack placed in the center of the oven.
• Slice the tomatoes in half and arrange on a baking sheet with the garlic, shallots, and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and fragrant, the shallots translucent and the garlic is bursting from the peel. This can be done in advance if you like.
• Remove the garlic peel and discard. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, shallot and thyme to the pressure cooker, along with all the juices.
• Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and herbes de Provence. Seal the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. 
• Release pressure and change the multicooker setting to simmer. Cook until the soup has reduced in volume, for about 10-15 minutes.
• Remove any thyme stems and the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender (in batches) and pulse the soup until smooth. If you prefer a smoother soup, pass through a strainer.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a drizzle of basil pesto. Perfect with Savory Zucchini Scones.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 742mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1905IU | Vitamin C: 33.5mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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