Roasted Tomato Soup

The leaves turning colors, a crisp morning wind… all are signs that fall has arrived. But if you live in Southern California like me, the transition from summer to fall is far from picturesque. September usually marks our hottest month of year, making things like Pumpkin Spice Lattes seem bizarre in our late heat.

But as the marine layer starts to roll in, I’ve been itching to make one of my favorite cold-weather recipes, roasted tomato soup. This spicy, creamy, divine soup is a combination of recipes I’ve taken from a best friend and one of my favorite Food Network stars, Jeff Mauro. This slow roasted pot of goodness takes tomato soup to another level, and can be paired perfectly with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich, or a light and crisp salad.

It’s a soup made for the season that will have you wishing it were cold all year round.

 

What You Will Need: 

2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of their juices

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

½ of a red onion, chopped in medium pieces

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons of butter

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

4 cups or 1 container of low sodium chicken stock

1 can of cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

Salt and Pepper

Sour Cream

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

 

Instructions for Cooking:

• Preheat the oven to 425° F
• Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil. Place the drained whole tomatoes, carrots and onions on the cookie sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes.
• In a large pot, sauté the butter and crushed garlic over medium heat. Then add the roasted vegetables, crushed tomatoes and cannelloni beans. Stir to mix, and sprinkle the cayenne pepper in (careful, this stuff is hot!) and place the bay leaf in the pot.  Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
• Take out the bay leaf and discard. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can talk small batches of the soup and puree in a large blender or food processor.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop a small amount of sour cream into each bowl and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

 

By Nicole Mynott