A roasted tomato soup recipe that's creamy, rich, and loaded with fresh tomatoes. Serve alongside buttery, grilled "cheese" for a comforting meal. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 450F and set a large baking sheet off to the side. Cut the top ~1/2″ off of the head of garlic to expose all of the cloves. Wrap the head in tin foil, drizzle with oil, and seal well.
Season the Vegetables: Add the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Use clean hands or tongs to toss until everything is evenly coated – I like to place all of the tomatoes cut-side up to prevent them from sticking to the tray. Add the foil-wrapped garlic to an open spot on the baking tray.
Roast: Roast on the top rack of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the onions and bell pepper have browned edges. Remove the garlic from the baking sheet and carefully unwrap to let it cool.
Blend: Use tongs to carefully transfer the roasted tomato mixture into a blender with a venting lid. Squeeze the garlic over the blender (the softened cloves should come right out, leaving the outer skin behind). Add in 1 cup (235 ml) of vegetable broth, then blend on high for 45-60 seconds. Continue to add more broth in 1/2 cup (120 ml) increments if the soup is too thick.
Warm: Transfer the soup to a large pot over medium heat, then add in the oat milk and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.
Serve: Divide the soup into serving bowls, then top with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil (or as desired). Serve warm; leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Notes
Tomatoes: San Marzano or Roma tomatoes are best for soups, but you really use any variety of tomato in this recipe – just make sure you have 3 pounds of it.
Canned Tomatoes: You can also make this recipe using the same amount of canned San Marzano tomatoes – omit them from step 2 and roast the other vegetables for 45 minutes. Blend the tomatoes with the other ingredients in step 4, then simmer the soup for ~10 minutes or so before serving so all of the flavors can combine.
Oat Milk: I like to add a creamy "full fat oat milk" that does not taste sweet (such as Oatly) to this recipe as a substitute for cream. You can also replace this with equal parts vegan heavy cream or a creamy cashew milk. Alternatively, you can blend 3 tablespoons of soaked cashews with 1/2 cup of water to make a cashew "cream" and add that to the soup instead