Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, such as Roma, cherry, grape, or a combination, cut into 1-inch chunks (skip cutting if using cherry or grape tomatoes)

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed

  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  • Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Place 2 pounds chopped ripe tomatoes, 1 chopped medium red bell pepper, 1/2 thinly sliced medium yellow onion, 1 halved head garlic on the baking sheet.

  • Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Toss together with your hands until evenly coated. Arrange into an even layer with the garlic cut-side down. Top with 2 fresh rosemary sprigs.

  • Roast until the tomatoes are softened or the small tomatoes burst open, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly until cool enough to handle the garlic, about 5 minutes.

  • Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the garlic head onto the baking sheet and discard the peels. Pick the leaves from the rosemary and place on the roasted vegetable mixture; discard the stems.

  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the roasted tomato mixture, including any juices on the baking sheet. Cook until the tomato paste is fully mixed into the tomato mixture, 2 to 3 minutes.

  • Add 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat as needed and let simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.

  • Turn off the heat. Blend directly in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer in two batches to a stand blender and blend until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more broth a little at a time as needed to thin it out.

  • Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve topped with freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few torn fresh basil leaves if desired.