Homemade Tomato Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. fresh plum tomatoes, washed and halved
• 1 fresh head of garlic, peeled, slightly smashed
• 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ tsp. cracked black pepper
• 4 Tbsp. high quality olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed
• 2 cups chicken stock*
• Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional garnish)
• Crusty breadcrumbs (optional garnish)
• Extra basil leaves (optional garnish)

  *May sub vegetable broth/stock for chicken broth/stock

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. While oven heats, line a deep baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper. Place the tomatoes in the baking dish cut side down. Add the garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven for one hour until veggies are tender and roasted. Remove from the oven. Put the veggies into a large stock pot. Add the chicken broth and basil. Bring to a low boil and immediately reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to your desired consistency. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until heated through. Serve hot. Drizzle individual servings with yogurt or sour cream, plus garnish with crusty breadcrumbs and extra fresh basil leaves. This soup pairs well with grilled cheese.

Cool to know about homemade tomato soup

Note that January is National Soup Month, a fitting time of year to emphasize eating this warm comfort food. Per Healthline, eating tomato soup offers superior health benefits. Not only is it low in calories, but it’s also high in potassium and vitamins C, K, and A. Plus the soup contains lycopene, a compound responsible for most of the health benefits in tomatoes. To learn more from Healthline, click here.