Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil (Print Version)

Smooth, aromatic blend of roasted garlic, tomatoes, and fresh basil offering a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
03 - 1 head garlic
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
05 - 1 celery stalk, chopped

→ Pantry

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 3 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herbs

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

→ Dairy (optional)

13 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut cream (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Slice top off garlic head to expose cloves, drizzle with olive oil, then wrap in foil.
03 - Place halved tomatoes cut side up, onion, carrot, and celery on a baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then add wrapped garlic.
04 - Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tomatoes are soft and caramelized and garlic is golden.
05 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of skins.
06 - Transfer roasted vegetables and garlic to a large pot; add vegetable broth, dried oregano, and sugar if using.
07 - Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
08 - Add fresh basil leaves and blend until silky smooth using an immersion blender or standard blender in batches.
09 - Stir in heavy cream or coconut cream if desired; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
10 - Serve hot, garnished with extra basil or a drizzle of olive oil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasting does all the heavy lifting, turning simple vegetables into something rich and naturally sweet without any fuss.
  • It tastes like you spent hours simmering stock when really you just let the oven work while you sat down.
  • One pot, minimal chopping, and it freezes beautifully for nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the garlic in foil, I tried it unwrapped once and it dried out and turned bitter instead of sweet.
  • Let the soup cool slightly before blending if using a standard blender, hot liquid can explode out the top and I learned that the messy way.
  • Taste before adding sugar, some tomatoes are sweet enough on their own and you don't want it to taste like dessert.
03 -
  • Use the ripest, ugliest tomatoes you can find, they're usually the sweetest and cheapest, and roasting hides any bruises.
  • If your blender struggles, blend in smaller batches and add a little extra broth to help it move smoothly.
  • Roast extra garlic and keep it in the fridge, it's incredible mashed into butter or spread on toast.

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