Slow-roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Whenever I give my boys the option of choosing which soup they would like me to make, they almost always reply in unison: “Tomato soup!”. And it’s strange, because my youngest won’t touch anything that resembles a chunk/ slice/ block of tomato. But this soup; he loves.

It is definitely one of the easiest soup recipes I have come up with. Most of the ingredients roast in the oven to develop a caramelised, juicy depth of flavour. I have actually used this recipe as tomato sauce several times. But by adding a good quality stock , it becomes a creamy, rich soup that just begs for crusty bread with lashings of salted butter.

I often make a basic basil pesto to serve with the soup. My family has been known to spread the pesto on their bread, and eat it with the soup, instead of adding a dollop to their bowl. You could also add cream, if you wanted to, but I find that the onions create a creaminess that is comforting, while keeping the dish light at the same time. As it is now, if you use a vegetable stock, this soup recipe is suitable for vegans.

I have served this soup many times as a starter course option, or as a light meal with good bread and a couple of antipasti. If you are looking for a good wine to pair it with, the acidity of the tomatoes would do well with something fruit forward and light – I’m thinking a Grenache; Sangiovese or a red blend.

Slow-Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Angela
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1.5 hour
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: serves 4–6 people 1x
• Category: soup, starter

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

An easy, versatile soup that can be enjoyed as is, or used as a base for something like minestrone. You won’t believe how much roasting the vegetables beforehand adds to the overall flavour of the dish. 

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1kg tomatoes (preferably on the vine; ripe and red but still firm)

4 garlic cloves, peeled, but left whole

1½ red bell pepper, halved and deseeded

2 small red onions (or 1 large one), peeled and quartered

a good handful of thyme sprigs (stalks and leaves)

2 bay leaves

2 or 3 sticks of celery, cleaned and sliced

750ml of good quality vegetable or chicken stock (preferably homemade) 

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
2. Find an oven dish that will fit all of the ingredients snugly (apart from the stock and celery). Scatter the sprigs of thyme; garlic cloves and the bay leaves in the bottom of the dish. 
3. Place the tomatoes (whole, still on the vine) in the dish. And add the red pepper. Add the onion. 
4. Make sure that everything fits snugly, but in one layer. 
5. Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil, and season generously with salt and black pepper. 
6. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, until the tomatoes are just starting to char, and there is a good amount of juice or liquid bubbling in the dish. 
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. 
8. While the vegetables cool, place a large pot on a medium-low heat and add a little but of olive oil and the celery. Allow the celery to cook for around 5 minutes, until soft. 
9. Back to the roasting dish, pick out and discard the thyme stalks and the bay leaves. Remove the tomatoes from the vine, and discard the vines. 
10. Add the roasted vegetables (with the yummy roasting juices!) to the pot with the celery, and add the stock. Allow the soup to come to the boil, before removing it from the heat and blending it smooth. A handheld (stick) blender is easiest for this, but you can also use a standing blender or food processor. 
11. Check the seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if needed. 

---

Notes

* We like chewing on the odd little tomato seed still left in the soup after blending, but if you are after a very smooth soup, simply strain it through a sieve before serving. 

* A little drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil; small dollop of basil pesto; or a sprinkling of ricotta cheese goes a long way to making the soup beautiful for serving.  

* As the tomatoes are the star of the show in this soup, choose the best, most flavourful tomatoes you can find.