Roasted tomato and garlic soup full of bold flavors from fresh and natural ingredients. This easy vegan tomato soup recipe does not have cream or other saturated fat, yet delicious and creamy.
Chop 8 large tomatoes into quarters. Peel and quarter 1 large onion. Peel 6 garlic cloves. Dice a carrot into 1-inch cubes.
Place all the vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon chili flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.
Roast
Spread out the vegetables in a single layer on a baking tray or sheet pan. Place the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
Let the veggies cool down.
Blend
Place the roasted vegetables in a blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of grated coconut meat, and 1 teaspoon each of dried basil and thyme.
Blend everything together until you get a smooth puree.
Simmer
Transfer the puree to a soup pot and add 2 cups of vegetable stock.
Adjust the water and add more salt and pepper to taste, if required. Simmer until you get the desired consistency.
Garnish
Remove the tomato garlic soup from heat. Julienne (thinly slice) a handful of fresh basil leaves and add to the soup.
Notes
Tomatoes: Choose fresh and firm ones, preferably with stems.
Vegetables: Carrots and onions in addition to garlic for more flavor and nutrition.
Coconut: Fresh coconut meat, chunks or grated. If using coconut chunks, chop them finely before blending. DO NOT use dried or dessicated coconut for this recipe.
Herbs: Fresh basil, dried basil and dried thyme. Using both fresh and dried herbs is another secret to this flavorful soup.
Spice: I’ve used chili flakes to give this soup a spicy kick. It balances the tangy flavors. You can use black pepper instead, if you’re worried about the heat.
Stock: I use vegetable stock. You can also use chicken stock if you’re not a vegetarian.
Blender: You can also use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. In that case, you don’t have to wait for the roasted vegetables to cool down.
Garnishing: Add fresh basil leaves after you remove the soup from heat since excessive heat may reduce the flavor and nutritional value of basil.
Tips for spicy toast: Mix butter with a sprinkling of chili flakes and salt and toast the bread with it. The ‘chili butter’ toast goes amazingly well with this roasted tomato and garlic soup.
Storing: Homemade roasted tomato garlic soup can last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator when stored properly in an airtight container. If you want to extend the shelf life of the soup, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Freezing: Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of space at the top for expansion. When you're ready to eat the soup, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then heat it up on the stove or in the microwave. Be sure to stir the soup well after reheating, as the ingredients may have separated during freezing.