Roasted Tomato Soup

The first time I made this soup, I was amazed at how different it was from canned tomato soup.  I shouldn't have been surprised, because homemade is always better- but I was shocked at how good it was!  It tastes creamy, flavorful, and just real! Like what canned soup is trying to imitate!  Even though I don't like tomatoes (or even ketchup), I love this.

I served this with homemade multigrain bread.  I found the recipe from Our Best Bites, here.  It was the perfect complement to this soup!

Roasted Tomato Soup
Printable version here

6 cups (3 pints) cherry tomatoes
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. chopped onion
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 t. thyme
1 cup whipping cream (I use whole milk)

1. Heat the oven to 400º. On a baking sheet, combine the tomatoes, 2 T. oil, salt & pepper. Toss the ingredients to coat evenly and spread them in a single layer. Roast the tomatoes until they are shriveled with brown spots, about 35 to 45 minutes.

2. In a large pot, heat the butter and remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the broth, the thyme, and the roasted tomatoes, including any liquid on the baking sheet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.

3. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup until it's smooth. (You will need to do this in batches, and you might want to cool the soup a little before pureeing it) Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Without letting the soup boil, warm over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Add salt & pepper if necessary, and add a little sugar if it's too tart. Makes about 10 cups.

Recipe source: Family Fun magazine

* Last time I made this, I only made a half batch (to save money on ingredients). It made enough to feed my family of 2 adults & 2 kids, plus 1 bowl leftover. I used my immersion blender to puree it, being very careful not to splash myself with hot soup.

Why I love it? It's the best tomato soup I've ever had!! It had a more appealing feel than canned tomato soup- there was a little texture to it, and it just tasted real, like actual tomato soup! :) It's also a great way to use up tomatoes if you have a bunch of them. Plus, tomatoes are high in vitamin C! I've also served this with a yummy sourdough grilled cheese. Those 2 things combined tasted like they were from a restaurant!