RECIPE: Cut back on meat with roasted tomato basil soup

Trying to cut back on the meat and dairy, or eliminate it completely? Miraculous recipes like this one make doing so all that much more worth it! This divine concoction, full of basil and a hint of garlic may be demanded weekly after the first serving.

Karina’s blog on Cafe Delights shared this mouth watering recipe for a Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup (without any cream at all).

Read also: Why chicken soup is good for you

Give it a try (its hard not to), and don’t forget to go on and get lost in more of Karina’s recipes.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 600 g grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 8 whole cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 potato diced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves , roughly torn

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2. Place tomatoes on a baking tray with the garlic cloves.
3. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for about 25 minutes, or until soft and charred on the tops.
4. While tomatoes are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized pot/saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers (capsicum) and potato; cook while occasionally stirring, until the onion is transparent and the potato begin to crisp on the outer edges (about 6-7 minutes).
5. Stir the tomato paste through the potatoes and onion; pour in the broth/stock; season with extra salt; cover and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low; simmer for about 15 minutes or until potato is just tender when tested with a fork.
7. Add the tomatoes, garlic and basil to the broth; continue to simmer until the basil is just soft (about 2 minutes).
8. Blend soup using a stick blender until smooth.
9. Optional: Pour the soup through a strainer or colander to remove any skins and thick tomato pieces, for a smoother soup.
10. Sprinkle with extra basil, shaved parmesan cheese, and serve with cheesy garlic bread.

And lastly, dig in and thank Karina when doing so!

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