ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11:55AM 
I find it funny that when you fall in love with someone, and even more so when you marry/live with them, you kind of morph into an unintentional, uni-person at times. The things you eat blend, the lingo or nicknames you have for things become everyday vernacular, you want what they want (for their sake), and circumstances that make them sad, cut you straight to the bone.
I'm the morning person who now consistently finds herself staying up late, and I swear to you we show up places in coordinating outfits that we don't notice until someone teases us. I sound like I've lost all sense of myself, but for serious, I really think it's crazy how much you're influenced when you don't even know it.
I've tried to make a point this year of spending time with people that are positive and encouraging to be around and trying to be the kind of person that someone wouldn't mind being influenced by. That's harder than you'd think, would you believe my language has gotten worse despite said intentions?
I started thinking about this, because both Hugh and I don't care for raw tomatoes. We both love salsa, marinara and roasted tomato soup, but please don't put tomatoes in my salad. But it wasn't always this way, I grew up on raw tomatoes, lots of them, the first half of my life, a 'salad' was routinely tomatoes and cucumbers with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (Mom! I'm so grateful and I love you). We grow up and somehow the way we think or what we eat and the company we keep changes, and I find it pretty phenomenal that we refine ourselves little by little, most of the time without even realizing it. It happens right under our noses. So here I am, some version of myself but mostly a composition of people who have loved and influenced me in one way or another.
So this soup, while easy in preparation and simple in ingredients, is only as good as the tomatoes you use (pay attention, did you catch the life metaphor there?). If you have a local farmer's market, roadside farm stand or grow your own, this is the time to use them. Regardless of them being roasted, the integrity of the tomato stands out. I thought it would be good with some homemade pesto croutons, or some smoked paprika if you want a bit of heat, but it's just as comforting with a slice of crusty bread.
ROASTED TOMATO SOUP // Serve 2 as an entree, 4 as a side
Because it's summer and I prefer things lighter, I honestly did not add any cream. This is your choice. It will take an edge off of the acidity, but I thought a little cheese crostini balanced it out just fine.
1 1/4 lb. Ripe Tomatoes (about 4 Large Tomatoes)
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley
1 1/2 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Organic Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half, optional
Fresh Oregano + Basil for garnish
Fresh Grainy Bread
Mozzarella Cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350'. Cut the tomatoes and the half of an onion into wedges. Use your finger to push out some of the seedy parts of the tomatoes, but this is not a huge deal, just get out the big seedy parts, a bit intact is fine. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the chopped parsley and gently toss it with your hands. Tuck the garlic cloves somewhere in a tomato, so they don't burn. Roast on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and reduced to about half their size. Remove and cool slightly.
2. Warm the broth and stir in the tomato paste to dissolve. Add the all of the ingredients from the roasting pan into the broth and let it gently simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the bowl, or with a food processor or blender. The soup should be smooth, with some texture. If you don't like any texture at all, you could run it through a fine mesh sieve. Return it back to the pot, and add the cream to taste, if using. Taste for salt and pepper.
3. Serve with some toasted bread, or broil a few slices with a piece of mozzarella on top. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and oregano.


Reader Comments (111)
That looks tremendous. Im the same with capsicums...
T x
Ooooh my goodness, this is perfect! Was just trying to figure out how to use up a few tomatoes. This might be a strange question, but do you have any suggestions for a tomato paste substitute? I'm in the process of emptying out my fridge completely (moving to a new apartment next week) and am trying to refrain from buying anything new!
Gorgeous! I love that it serves two ;)
Sara, this looks amazing! My fiance and I have been together for seven years now, so I definitely get the uni-person thing. I've become much less picky, he gave up meat (and we gave up dairy together) - plus we unintentionally finish each others' thoughts. Tomatoes are one thing we definitely both love, so when it's not one hundred degrees and I can get back to cooking hot dishes, I'll try it.
Just wanted to add a big thank you for your recipes, I was at my meat-and-potatoes, vegan-food-hating in-laws' this weekend, and I made both your falafel and the strawberry leek quesadillas (again) and they actually really enjoyed them! Never thought I'd see the day.
I completely agree and fully understand. My husband (of nearly 7 years now) and I often wear the exact same thing without realizing it. We'll laugh THE SAME WAY (I don't even laugh like him) at jokes. We'll point and OHHHH at the TV.
I just need him on board with the Lilith Fair.
Yea, not gonna happen.
(beautiful soup!)
Thankyou thankyou for posting a tomato soup recipe when tomatoes are actually in season! In-season tomatoes make the best EVERYTHING, but for some reason, people can't seem to get their heads around having a roasted tomato or roasted red pepper soup fresh---they're almost always seen in the colder months. Also, I'm going to pin that garlic snapshot on my wall :)
This looks gorgeous and delicious - definitely bookmarking for later!
I do love a good tomato soup and this sounds just fabulous! And yes, after nearly 6 years of living together my partner and I often dress in same colours without realising, fill each other's sentences or say exactly the same things... it's quite amusing ;-)
our refinement in life truly is a trip. amazing that it happens "right under our noses" and a wee bit scary, too, if we're not careful. so important to be intentional...what a great focus for the year, and even more so, i bet, for this first year of marriage.
and that soup - ohmy! as soon as tomatoes ripen on our vines here in minnesota, this will be on my stove :o) it'll get a workout later this summer, too, when i get an extra 30 lbs of tomatoes from my CSA. can't wait! thanks, sara!!
Gosh Sara. Reading this makes me so excited for your book. I love reading your posts. It's true, you become a 'uniperson' at times - But I think it's a positive thing. A sign of growing love, intimacy, and understanding. But back to soup. This looks amazing. And of course, stunning photography by Hugh (as always). :)
Such a sweet post Sara. It almost makes up for the fact that you don't like raw tomatoes. WHAT??? Not fair that you live in a part of the country where they are decent and you don't care for them, while I love them and I have to hunt down one that tastes like anything. A friend just recently mentioned that she makes a mean roasted tomato soup and it has been sitting in my brain ever since. This one looks terrific.
I'm drooling. Can't wait until my tomatoes are ready!
Yum, I love tomato soup!
I can't wait to try this! going to the market to buy tomatoes tomorrow, Thanks.
Lovely post! The simplest things in life are the most satisfying :)
I know EXACTLY what you're talking about...My husband and I will often mee friends or host a dinner party both wearing surprisingly similar outfits. And our lingo has definitely become something of a joke in our family. I'm actually a huge fan of tomatoes, raw and cooked, but I especially love them roasted. Beautiful soup, Sara! I hope that you're finding lots of positive people around you these days. I've been intentionally trying to do the same. It's working out well, so far!
Saturday post-f. market lunch just decided upon. No question. With perhaps the black quinoa + green bean salad for dinner ...
Looove the idea of roasting the tomatoes before turning them into soup. I've never even thought of that! (that makes me feel very un-creative!)
I love roasting tomatoes before topping a pizza with them, though. It makes everything 100 percent tastier
I was the opposite growing up.. would only eat cooked tomatoes, in say pasta sauce. Now days I eat lots of raw tomatoes. My family has a great love with tomatoes, even a few jokes about them, so it was only natural I would come around to my senses!
this looks absolutely perfect. love love love.
when my husband and i first met, he ate no vegetables. i don't mean that he ate carrots sometimes, or maybe an occasional bowl of veggie soup. i mean, HE. ATE. NONE. AT. ALL. EVER.
so i descended into madness swiftly, because i am a veggie-lover to the max.
but now, 6 yrs. into our marriage, he eats homemade spaghetti sauce and spinach quiche and this whole world has opened up to him...and made me a better cook, for that matter. :)
Great idea putting the bread and mozzarella in as a final touch.
This soup looks so hearty and delicious - I wouldn't be able to resist a super-thick slice of some crusty, buttered white bread to go alongside it. I think one of the best things in life you can strive for it simply to be a good role model so good on you!
Beautiful.
It's so true, living with another person makes me become a little bit him, and that w/o even noticing. But it's kind of nice to share food we both like...I love this soup, perfect for summer nights :)
So much to be said for keeping company with inspiring + passionate people. And I was just contemplating the merits of saving crappy tomatoes by way of a simple tomato sauce. So in my case, bad tomatoes still equaled good sauce. It was the only way to save them. :)
I always associate tomato soup with the colder months, which is upside down. I love making food from scratch and this looks so much nice than anything that comes out of a tin. My tomatoes are still green, in the UK we've had a month of rain and it's cold enough to light the fire. So I pray for sun and enjoying a bowl of roast tomato soup.
This looks unbelievably good. My stomach rumbles.
this looks amazing.
while also shocked about your dislike of raw tomatoes, this is worth trying if only for the beauty of the roasting tomatoes. thanks!
i just found your blog and i am so excited that i did. i love tomatoes and this looks so good. my husband is not a huge tomato fan but i think i might have to make him try this.
I love this post, both for the words of wisdom and the mouthwatering tomato soup photos. I often fear that Americans have lost some appreciation for simple pleasures and quality ingredients, both in life and in our eating habits. Thank you for the inspiration!
seriously just looking for something to make with all the heirloom tomatoes i toted home today from our csa ... can't wait to try this!
Wow, your pictures are so artistic and make the food look amazing. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Oh, this sounds delicious, I can just imagine the heady aroma of the tomatoes roasting!
I cannot WAIT to try this. I am in desperate search of a yummy tomato soup recipe, and why not use fresh tomatoes? It is tomato season after all.
After being married for almost 5 years, I still find myself surprised at times when I realize I am acting just like my husband. I love sharing these traits as well as our lives.
I personally adore raw tomatoes (and after years of work have finally gotten my husband to like them, too :), but believe that in soup the roasted ones are so much better!
yum.
double yum.
hallelujah for "too many" tomatoes.
We are about to be inundated with tomatoes and this sounds divine!
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wow- this looks absolutely amazing! I'm a HUGE fan of tomatoes by my boyfriend detests...maybe this is something we can both agree on.... Thanks for posting!
that life metaphor rocks. this soup rocks. and i'd like to hang out with the sara-and-hugh uniperson one day. sounds like a pretty amazing team. xo
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this looks delicious and exactly what I'm in the mood for!
Thanks as always for the recipe.
This is a great idea! I rast a lot of things before making them into soup, but I never did tomatoes. A little alcohol, like beer or vodka would bring out additional flavor compounds in the tomatoes.
Wonderful idea for the hot summer. Great pictures..thanks!
I've been really into making soups lately, so this will be the perfect addition to my arsenal
I just got a load of tomatoes in my CSA box and can't wait to try this soup. I've never tried tomato soup with roasted garlic. I can only imagine how much more depth of flavor it adds. Thanks for the recipe!
What a beautiful recipe...can't wait to try it. I'm completely nuts about summer tomatoes!
This looks awesome! I adore tomato soup. I have been on a creme fraiche kick and I think a dollop would be wonderful in this soup.
this looks totally mouthwatering! I can't wait to head to the santa monica farmers market tomorrow and grab some tomatoes :)