The Best Roasted Tomato Soup
There are so many recipes for a tomato soup, but this one from Heleen Meyer is particularly flavoursome. It’s so easy to make and is ideal for both a midweek meal and when entertaining. Make the most of this versatile soup, with all the ways in which you can season and serve it. Have a look at the TIPS below, for more seasoning and serving options.
The soup is IDEAL TO FREEZE, so make a big batch and freeze the rest in portions according to you family’s needs – meal prep is done. Get creative when you reheat the soup, with what you would like to add. A cooking tip: remember that tomatoes roast very quickly, so cut all the veggies in more or less the same size so that they roast evenly.
Roasted tomato soup
Recipe from Make five by Heleen Meyer
Image by Adel Ferreira
Serves 4 – 6
1 kg ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
300 g baby tomatoes, halved
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 large red peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 leeks, thickly sliced
5 ml (1 tsp) whole cumin seeds
45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh thyme leaves
45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
750 ml (3 cup) vegetable stock or strong Rooibos
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Alternatively use a large shallow oven dish.
- Place all the veggies, cumin seeds, thyme and oil in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Season to taste.
- Place the veggie mixture on the baking tray or oven dish.
- Roast for 45 minutes or until the veggies are cooked and golden brown, but not too dark.
- Transfer everything from the tray or oven dish into a large soup pot. Stir in the stock or tea and blend with a stick blender. Season to taste and heat until warmed through. Add a little extra water if it is too thick.
- Serve hot with fresh herbs, such as basil or Italian parsley. Basil pesto, sour cream or drizzle of olive oil and a grind of pepper is delicious.
Tips:
- After the soup has been blended, season with paprika or smoked paprika to taste.
- Replace half of the cumin seeds in this recipe with 2,5 ml (½ tsp) fennel seeds.
- Serve the soup with pan-fried bacon or sliced chorizo sausages.
- Add a vegetarian protein like tinned chickpeas, lentils or white beans. The brine from any of these tins can become part of the 750 ml liquid you add to the roasted veggies. You can decide if you want to blend the pulses with the veggies, or if you prefer to just stir it through the blended soup for some interesting textures.
- Other fresh herbs like coriander or origanum will each lend a different flavour to the soup.
For more recipes and inspiration, visit Heleen’s website: www.heleenmeyer.co.za