Rustic Tomato Soup

We’re a few weeks until fall and my favorite foodie season. I like to make big batches of soup for easy meals that can be heated quickly after we’ve dropped the anchor in a cove. There’s nothing better than a big mug of tomato soup in the cockpit under the stars! Pairing it with a gooey, grilled cheese sandwich takes it to another level of comfort food in my husband’s opinion.

I used 12 medium-sized Roma tomatoes and quartered them lengthwise. Roma’s have low water content, making them great for cooking. They have a tangy flavor, which I like to balance with a tablespoon of sugar. You can use less, more, or none to adjust the sweetness level after tasting.

This recipe takes about 45 minutes from start to finish because you don’t need to remove the skin or seeds. It has a rustic texture, and the cheese gives it a nice creaminess, but if you prefer a completely smooth soup, you can strain after blending.

It’s easy to change up this recipe to your particular taste. You can use more or less garlic, add red pepper flakes to give it a kick, or use chicken broth instead of vegetable. To make it vegan, eliminate the cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs tomatoes (your choice of variety)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Optional toppings: julienned fresh basil, shredded parmesan, croutons or toasted sourdough bread triangles

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F.

2. Cut the tomatoes into halves (or quarters if they are large)

3. Place them skin side down on a baking sheet

4. Drizzle them with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper

5. Bake for 25 minutes

6. Turn up oven to broil and cook for 2 minutes

7. Remove from oven and let cool

8. While the tomatoes cool, sauté the onions in a stock pot over medium high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally

9. Add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes, stirring frequently

10. Reduce heat to medium

11. Add the broth and basil leaves

12. Cook until the leaves have wilted and remove from heat

13. Fill a blender halfway with the roasted tomatoes and their juices and half of the onion mixture

14. Puree the soup to your desired texture (add additional vegetable broth if you like your soup a thinner consistency) and return to the stock pot (Note: hot ingredients expand in a blender, so make sure the tomatoes are cooled and you don’t overfill)

15. Blend the second batch and add to the stock pot

16. Over medium heat, stir well and add the cheese

17. Stir until the cheese has melted, taste and add the sugar if you want a sweeter flavor; season with more salt and pepper as needed

18. Bring to just boiling, then simmer until ready to serve

19. Top with parmesan and basil if desired

20. Makes 4 dinner-size bowls or 6 small bowls as a side dish

Heidi and her husband, Aaron, live aboard their Tayana 42, Sonho, and are currently cruising Baja California Sur, Mexico.