Garden Roasted Tomato Soup

This is one of my favorite ways to use up the end-of-summer garden when the tomatoes are coming in faster than we can eat them.

There are no rules about what kind of tomatoes you need. Cherry tomatoes, Romas, beefsteaks, heirlooms… whatever is ripe goes on the pan. I usually add a jalapeño or two because I like a little heat, but use whatever peppers your garden gives you and whatever your palate wants.

Roast everything together, blend it up, and you've got an easy homemade tomato soup that tastes even better with a grilled cheese. Obviously. 😂

Ingredients

• About 3 pounds tomatoes, any variety

• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 1–2 peppers of your choice (I usually use jalapeños)

• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled

• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 2 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed

• A generous handful of fresh basil

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables.
Heat your oven to 400°F. Leave small tomatoes whole or halve them, and cut larger tomatoes into chunks. Add the tomatoes, onion, peppers, peeled garlic cloves and potato to a large sheet pan.

2. Roast.
Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread the vegetables into an even layer. Roast for about 40-45 minutes, or until everything is soft and the tomatoes are beginning to caramelize around the edges.

3. Blend.
Transfer the roasted vegetables and all those good juices from the pan to a blender or large pot. Add the fresh basil and vegetable broth, then blend until smooth. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more broth until it's exactly how you like it.

4. Taste and finish.
Taste and adjust the salt, pepper or heat as needed. Warm on the stove if necessary and serve.

5. Don't forget the grilled cheese.
I'm pretty sure this part is mandatory. 😉

A Few Notes From My Kitchen

Use what you've got. This isn't a cherry-tomatoes-only situation. Mixing different varieties of tomatoes actually makes it even better.

Choose your own heat level. Bell peppers will keep things mild. Jalapeños are my go-to, but banana peppers, poblanos or whatever else is growing can work too.

Don't skip the potato. It helps give the soup that creamy texture without needing to add cream.

Garden abundance = freezer soup. If the tomatoes are really coming in, make a double batch and freeze some for later. Or reach out to me for CANNING instructions (I still have canned soup from last season!)

This recipe was adapted and inspired by PlantYou's Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup, with a few changes based on how I make it from our garden.