Roasted Tomato Soup (Perfect for Extra Tomatoes)

There are days on the farm when the tomatoes all decide to ripen at once. The vines get heavy, the baskets fill fast, and before long, I’ve got more than I can use fresh. Instead of letting them go soft, I roast them. It’s the simplest way to turn extra tomatoes into something warm, comforting, and full of flavor - Roasted Tomato Soup.

Here’s exactly how I make it in my own kitchen.

Ingredients

• Fresh tomatoes – enough to fill a baking tray

• Bell peppers – any color (I like yellow or red)

• Olive oil – for drizzling

• Seasoning Salt

• Pepper – to taste

• One whole bulb of garlic

• Parmesan cheese – to taste (grate it yourself on a grater)

• Cream or milk – as desired
  

How I Make It

Start by washing your tomatoes to get any dirt off. Cut them in half and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.

Add bell peppers, any color works, though I like yellow or red for sweetness. Scatter them among the tomatoes.

Drizzle olive oil over everything, then sprinkle with seasoning salt and pepper.

Now take one whole bulb of garlic. Slice the top off, drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves, wrap it in a little piece of aluminum foil, and place it right in the middle of the tray.

Roast everything at 400°F (204°C) until the tomatoes are toasty brown and the edges begin to caramelize.

When it’s ready, take the garlic out and squeeze the bulb, the cloves slide right out, soft and golden, and a little garlic oil drips out. That’s the best part, the roasted garlic oil adds a deep, mellow flavor you can’t get any other way. The smell at that moment fills the whole kitchen.

Add the roasted tomatoes, peppers, and garlic to a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour it all into a pot on the stove.

Now grate your Parmesan cheese yourself, not the pre-grated kind, but the hard wedge. Add as much or as little as you like. Stir it in with a little cream or milk, and season with seasoning salt, pepper, or any spices you enjoy. Warm it gently until it’s smooth and creamy.

And that’s your roasted tomato soup.

This soup freezes beautifully, but I don’t recommend canning it since it contains dairy.

You can use any mix of tomatoes, garden varieties, heirlooms, or even the uneven ones that ripen late. Each one brings its own flavor and sweetness.

When you roast them with olive oil and that garlic bulb, the smell alone feels like home - warm, roasted, and full of comfort.

If you ever find yourself with too many tomatoes, roast them. You’ll get warmth, depth, and a comfort that can’t be bought, a soup that tastes like summer even in the heart of winter. Save a few jars for later, share some with friends, or savor a quiet bowl on a still evening.