This is a Roasted Tomato Soup that tastes terrific even if your tomatoes aren’t at the height of ripe, seasonal perfection. So imagine how spectacular it is when they are! It’s incredibly simple to make: roast > blitz > warm > eat. I love the hint of smoky flavour in this from smoked paprika.
Bonus: Super healthy, at just 240 calories a serving.
Roasted tomato soup
Tomato soups made with fresh tomatoes always confused me because recipes encourage you to make it with ripe, sweet, summer tomatoes. But in the height of summer, hot soup is the last thing I want!
So, I don’t make tomato soup when tomatoes are in their summer prime. Instead, I make it in the shoulder season when it’s cooler, which means tomatoes are not at their utmost peak. But this is easily dealt with simply by roasting the tomatoes which coaxes out the natural sweetness and enhances the flavour.
For this soup, I also like to add a hint of smoky flavour by tossing them in smoked paprika and roasting them long enough to get a little char on them. Just makes it even more interesting – again, in case the tomatoes themselves are a little lacking!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need:
Tomatoes – 1.5 kg / 3 lb of regular or roma tomatoes (those egg shaped ones). The more ripe, juicier and sweeter they are, the more delicious to soup will be. But as mentioned above, this soup is still great made with not-so-spectacular tomatoes (which, to be honest, is the typical tomatoes at Australian grocery stores).
Cherry tomatoes – Because the skin to flesh ratio is higher, I find it’s not as good for soup though if you use a high powered blender that can puree the skin then it will work just fine.
Smoked paprika – Adds lovely earthy, smoky flavour to give this soup a little je ne sais quoi even if your tomatoes are not summer-prime, and even if you don’t have basil (see below). 🙂 It’s widely available at regular grocery stores, sold alongside regular paprika. Substitute with extra fresh basil instead!
Garlic cloves (lots!) – Five roasted whole in their skins so we can squeeze the flesh out later and blitz it into the soup. Plus another 2 garlic cloves sautéed with the onion.
Onion – Just your regular brown onion. Sautéing that with minced garlic goes a long way to add great flavour base into tomato soup.
Vegetable stock/broth – The liquid for the soup. Tastier than water! Use low sodium, though if you’ve only got regular salted stock, just reduce the salt listed in the ingredients 1/2 teaspoon.
Cream (just a bit) – I only use 1/2 cup (125 ml) of cream for a touch of creamy mouthfeel. It’s not intended to make the soup creamy as such, it’s just for finishing. So, feel free to leave it out – or substitute with butter if you don’t have cream. (Note: Even with the cream, it’s still a low 240 calories per serving!)
Basil – OPTIONAL. Don’t go and buy a whole bunch of expensive basil just for this recipe, unless you’re cooking for company! The smoked paprika plus char on the tomatoes is designed to give this soup a touch of extra flavour so it’s still great even if you don’t have basil, and is the reason I only use a bit. Though – if you’ve got basil, feel free to add a lot more!
How to make roasted tomato soup
Don’t be afraid to take the tomatoes a little further than your ordinarily would, to get a little charring on them for free smoky flavour.
Place halved tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking tray. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Arrange them cut face up.
Roast for 40 to 45 minutes in a hot oven until the surface has little charred bits and the tomatoes are completely soft.
Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock.
Squeeze the roasted garlic flesh from the skins. The garlic flavour will be very mellowed and sweet. (It’s tempting to smear it on toast – in fact, it’s a brilliant way to use it!).
Blitz until smooth using a stick blender. Or do this step in a food processor or blender (you need a high powered blender like a Vitamin or Blendtec to make the soup perfectly smooth).
Simmer for 10 minutes to bring the flavours together, then stir in the cream.
Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of cream and sprinkle of fresh basil!
The soup pictured above was yesterday’s lunch and dinner. And grilled cheese was present on both occasions.
It will tick the calorie count a little higher (just a little! 😈). But the increase in delicious-factor is immeasurable.
Whether you eat this soup with a spoon or something for dunking, I hope you love it! – Nagi x
More dunking suggestions
Watch how to make it
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Smoky Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Smoky roasted tomatoes:
- 1.5kg/ 3 lb tomatoes , halved, cut a “V” out of the top to remove the core (Note 1)
- 5 garlic cloves , NOT peeled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika , optional (Note 2)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 onion , diced
- 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock/broth , low sodium (try homemade!)
- 1/2 tsp+ white sugar , only if needed (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup cream , optional, plus extra for drizzling (sub 30g/2tbsp butter, Note 4)
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves , NOT CRITICAL (Note 5)
For serving (pictured):
Instructions
Roast tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan-forced).
- Toss & squidge – Place the tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves on a tray. Drizzle/sprinkle with the oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to coat, squidging the cut face of the tomato in the oil on the tray to thoroughly coat. Arrange tomatoes cut face up.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until there is some charring on the tomatoes (see photos).
Soup:
- Sauté – Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté the garlic and onion for 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Tomatoes – Remove the garlic cloves from the baking tray. Scrape all the tomatoes and juices into the pot. Squeeze garlic flesh into the pot. Add vegetable stock.
- Blitz with a stick blender until smooth (or do this in a food processor or blender).
- Simmer – Bring to a simmer then lower heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream.
- Ladle into bowls, drizzle with cream and garnish with basil. Dunk in grilled cheese and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Ah, Dozer! I look forward to a time once again when I only have cute and silly stories to share about you!
Firstly though, just to assure you, he is doing very well and is completely oblivious to the flurry of activity and think-tank sessions going on around him, FOR him!
The past couple of weeks has been all about Dozer’s new food as it’s become apparent his medical condition has affected his ability to swallow. (It’s called “esophageal dysmotility”). If I don’t feed him the right sort of food, this can cause all sorts of complications, with consequences one does not want to think about.
It just seems so cruel that this would happen to the Chief Taste Tester of RecipeTin! 😭 While I’ve had moments of sadness, I am just so grateful to still have him, and that he is getting stronger every day.
And I have been relishing in the challenge to come up with Dozer-safe foods that provide him with the nutrition he needs! I was already doing this to an extent since his surgery back in early March, but now it has to be taken to another level.
I’ve been experimenting quite extensively, and also getting advice from experts. I still haven’t landed on a final set of recipes for food that is easy for him to swallow, provides all the nutrition he needs as well as being practical for me to make (there have been recipes calling for 1.5kg / 3 lb of meatballs to be made for him every day – that’s 120 meatballs daily!! 😱).
I will do anything for Dozer…..but that’s just not sustainable!
I haven’t solved the new Dozer food challenge yet. I’ve been trying all sorts of things, from sou vide meat (the moistness of the cubes of meat makes it easy to slide down his throat), to a dog friendly terrine (this is showing potential!) to porridge-like slop (I just can’t bring myself to feed this to him..)
I also position him on an incline for 30 minutes after every meal to let gravity help get the food into his stomach. (There are purpose built contraptions called “Bailey Chairs” but for a dog of Dozer’s size plus given his spine condition, it’s not suitable for him).
He’s adapted to this astonished well. He just chills out on the inclined bed until the timer goes off, then he knows he’s free!
Anyway. I’m in the thick of Dozer recipe testing right now. I will happily share my final set of recipes, if there is interest.
And as I said, he is completely oblivious to everything going on behind the scenes, all for him. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!
And as with every other Dozer update post I’ve shared since Life of Dozer changed forever that fateful day back in February – thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all the lovely caring and uplifting messages you have shared. Dozer feels very loved! – Nagi x
Hi Nagi and Dozer
Allan and I LOVE tomato soup any time of the year and as we are almost in summer in Scotland (today we had sunny 23 and missed the thunder storms) this is one we will be making. As much as we love your spicy lentil soup its time for something lighter.
As for Dozer we look forward to you progress checks and pray he get through this. Was laughing at you making 120 mini meatballs knowing how much you hate doing them and the fab method to make normal ones that you have passed on to us – do they do a Barbie doll size icecream scoop?
Andie xx
Ugh Andie, I couldn’t believe it when the vet told me Dozer needs meatball shaped foods!!! The one thing I hate making more than anything! Now I’m worried I will use all my meatball making energy on Dozer and deprive myself 😂
This is very similar to how I normally make my roast tomato soup but I have not used smoked paprika before! Nice addition. I used soured cream as I had some that needed using up. This will be my go-to recipe in the future. Thank you!
Soured cream works great! I’ve used that too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it Caroline!
Looking forward to sharing this tomato soup with my son, his sister would not eat it, as it’s tomato! Sounds so much more delish than others.
Big hugs and rubs to Dozer xxx
Yes, please share your doggy recipes! That could also be a huge marketing project for you…making healthy tasty doggy food?
From one doggy person to another, all the best with Dozer.
Cheers Debra
Thanks Debra!! The food I’m making is quite…unusual 😂 Not sure there will be a market for it!!!
The cream in this recipe can be subbed with coconut cream, making this delightfully Vegan!
As for Dozer, organic coconut oil should be considered, as it has many beneficial properties. Have you considered acupuncture? Also, you can batch-prep/cook large quantities – with your team – and freeze them for Dozer for the week, if it seems like a lot of daily work.
Hi Nagi! Was so excited to try this but I think I must have got a naff batch of tomatoes – my soup is pale and doesn’t really taste of tomato! Any recommendations on how to rescue it? Tomato paste maybe?
Yes I add 2tbsp/30g tomato paste per 1/2 pound/225g fresh tomatoes (roughly) for best of both worlds (rich flavour of canned with fresh tomato flavour). If you “cook out” the tomato paste, stir and sauté on medium heat in a little oil to prevent burning, until it changes colour/brick red, it will taste better because it has caramelised. Then you stir in water, slowly, to make a sauce free of lumps. Let it cool then pour into soup 🙂
So glad you share both exciting as well as challenging news, you are such a trooper (Dozer as well) and I continue to send best wishes and prayers to both of you!
With all of your experience with your wonderful cookbook recipes~ could this be an introduction to a new dog friendly recipe book in the future? I truly believe it… we with pet families trust you! 🙂
Haven’t made this yet – it’s on board to do in a couple of weeks. I rarely tinker with recipes on the first making, but in this instance I will be adding anchovies to the mix when roasting.
I can taste it now!
I’ll be making this soup for sure, and Nagy, I’m sure you’re loved every bit as much as Dozer. What a wonderful patient he is – so compliant to all that’s being done to help him.
OMG! A flavour explosion especially with the grilled cheese, takes it to another level! You seriously have to try this!
Nagi, you are a wonderful mother! And a great cook. I look froward to your emails for recipes and updates on Dozer!
OMG this is sooo good! I used store-bought tomatoes, did need the sugar, used some of the veg. broth to deglaze my pan, and finished it off with the emersion blender. I can only imagine how wonderful it will taste with homegrown tomatoes. Thank you!!
I tried this easy recipes yesterday and was so pleased with how simple and straightforward the instructions were. The dish turned out wonderfully tasty! Thanks for sharing such an accessible and delicious option!!
I tried this easy recipes yesterday and was so pleased with how simple and straightforward the instructions were. The dish turned out wonderfully tasty! Thanks for sharing such an accessible and delicious option!
I must admit I’m not a fan of cooking Nagi – only thing I don’t mind cooking is soup. I’m looking forward to trying your soup recipes- they DO look delish, and so easy.
I follow your blog mainly because of Dozer. He’s captured so many hearts across the world, as have you.
Keep loving and pampering him. Every day with him is a blessing.
Such a beautiful boy, stay well Dozer, your mum needs you, you are in my thoughts. Nagi, you are such a good mum to Dozer, he’s sure to get stronger everyday with your love and great recipes you cook for him, love all your recipes
Thank you kindly for yummy soup. Me too am getting last of tomatoes from Italian family they got Ox heart tomatoes.
Love Dozers pics, fingers crossed he’ll stay good.
How about a small book/ebook with all your dog treats, birthday cakes etc, adding in some healthy meals & ones for special diets. Prepared special diet food is ridiculously expensive.
Love your recipes, thanks so much.
Love to you and the Dozer🦋
so happy you still have Dozer and he is improving
so glad that Dozer is showing improvement. Older dogs are so hard to care for