“Roasted Garlic Cream of Tomato Soup”

Roasted Garlic Cream of Tomato Soup…the perfect meal to warm your soul. If love garlic like I do and you want to feel warm-fuzzy, here’s the soup for you. My Mom always made soups in the cold winter months. I’ve seemed to carry on that tradition. This recipe starts with fresh tomatoes, roasted in the oven with garlic and herbs. Tomatoes are then pureed and added to a large pot with chicken broth, heavy cream and seasonings.

Roasted Garlic Cream O Tomato Soup

Serve hot in soup bowls, topped with a drizzle of heavy cream and crunchy croutons. Feel free to serve with an amazing cheesy grilled cheese for dipping. Don’t mind if I do…DE-lish! Just ask some people I work with.

Roasting the tomatoes takes patience but the end result is wonderful and worth the prep time. Let me know what you think. Do you have a favorite tomato soup recipe? Enjoy!!!

Roasted Garlic Cream of Tomato Soup

10 lbs. ripe tomatoes

5 lbs. ripe plum tomatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

12 large garlic cloves, peeled, chopped finely

3 t. chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 t. dried marjoram

2 cups chicken broth plus more for later to thin soup if too thick for your liking

3 T. tomato powder or tomato paste

2 tomato-flavored chicken bouillon cubes

1 T. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup heavy cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Adjust two oven racks to middle position.

Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, remove core.

Divide and pour olive oil onto two jelly roll baking sheets (15 ½ x 10 ½ inches – 1 inch high sides).

Arrange sliced tomatoes in a single layer with flat side down. Place in preheated oven and roast for approximately 45 minutes. Tomatoes will release quite a bit of liquid. At this point, remove baking sheet from oven and ladle liquid into a small saucepan (1 qt.); set aside. Place tomatoes back into oven and continue roasting for 1 hour. Check the level of liquid released after one hour. Ladle liquid to saucepan and return tomatoes back to oven. Roast until tomatoes stop releasing liquid and begin browning around edges, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Mix together chopped garlic, thyme and marjoram; sprinkle onto roasted tomatoes and stir. Return tomatoes back to oven and roast for an additional 30 minutes or until well browned. Do not burn garlic.

Boil down tomato liquid to thicken, removing excess water. You may want to skim off excess olive oil if too much for your liking. Remove tomatoes from oven.

In batches, puree tomatoes with a little chicken broth in a blender or food processor until smooth; pour tomatoes into 8 qt. stock pot. Combine tomato puree with chicken broth, tomato powder or paste, bouillon cubes, and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Add heavy cream, stir until combined and heat through. Serve.

Note: Garnish with heavy cream, lightly whipped and topped with salt and pepper croutons. Make your own homemade croutons by cutting bread into ½ inch cubes and sauteing them in olive oil until golden brown and crisp. Love the crunch!!!

This recipe can be cut in half for easier preparation.

Makes about 8 servings.