Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) ripe tomatoes, peeled (Roma or cluster tomatoes, for example)
• 1 medium red onion, cut into quarters
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 500ml (2 cups) vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 tbsp sugar (if needed, to balance acidity)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
• A few fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
• A little cream or coconut cream (optional, for serving)

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Prepare the tomatoes: Peel and cut them in half, then place them on a baking sheet, cut side up. Add the onion quarters and garlic cloves around the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper (sprinkle the sugar at this point if your tomatoes lack a bit of ripeness), and scatter the thyme over the vegetables. In the photo, you’ll see I also added a few basil flower sprigs to infuse flavor during roasting—I’ll remove them after baking.

2. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender and slightly caramelized. Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, and peeled garlic to a blender or pot if using an immersion blender. Add half of the vegetable broth (or water), the balsamic vinegar, and the sugar (if you didn’t add it earlier). Blend until smooth. Gradually add more broth until you reach your desired consistency.

3. Reheat the soup in the pot over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, adjusting the seasoning as needed. Serve hot with a drizzle of cream or coconut cream for a silky touch. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

This soup is perfect served with croutons, toasted bread, or focaccia.

For cheesy croutons: place shredded mozzarella on two slices of bread, top with two more slices, then melt a little butter in a pan and toast the sandwiches, pressing down so the cheese melts. Flip to the other side. Cut into cubes and serve with the soup.

Variations

• Add 1/2 chili pepper to roast with the other vegetables.
• Replace the basil with cilantro.
• Out of season or if you’re short on tomatoes, you can replace part of them with good quality canned tomatoes (like Mutti Polpa).