Simple Tomato Soup
This soup relies on roasting tomatoes until their skins split and char slightly, concentrating their natural sugars before blending them into a smooth, bright base. By skipping the heavy cream and relying on a splash of broth and aromatics, you get a clean, sharp soup that tastes like the peak of the harvest.
Wait for the char
The flavor lives in the caramelized bits on the tomatoes. Don't rush the oven; you want the edges of the tomatoes to turn deep brown, almost black, before you pull them out.
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Immersion blender or stand blender
What goes in.
- 3 lbripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 headgarlic, top sliced off to expose cloves
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 1yellow onion, diced
- 2 cupschicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly cracked
Dry-roasting aromatics
Roasting the tomatoes and garlic together allows the garlic to steam inside its skin while the tomatoes dehydrate. This produces a mellow, nutty sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
The method.
Roast the vegetables
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet with the head of garlic. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Roast for 45 minutes until the tomatoes have collapsed and the edges are charred.
Sauté the base
In a heavy pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not let them brown.
Combine
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the pot. Add the roasted tomatoes, including any juices from the pan, and the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
Blend
Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to reach your preferred consistency. If using a stand blender, work in batches and remove the center cap of the lid to allow steam to escape.
Other turns to take.
Spiced
Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or red chili flakes to the onions while they sauté for a warmer, deeper profile.
Herbed
Toss two sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary onto the roasting pan with the tomatoes, removing the woody stems before blending.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the tomatoes are particularly acidic, a pinch of sugar can help round out the flavor after blending.
Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a perfectly silky texture without seeds or skins.
The soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days and often tastes better the second day.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use canned tomatoes instead?
You can, but you lose the concentrated flavor of the char. If you must, use whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes and roast them in a pan for 15 minutes to reduce their liquid before simmering.
My soup is too thin, how do I thicken it?
Simmer it uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to reduce the liquid, or stir in a small amount of cold butter at the end for body.