Creamy Roasted Garlic Tomato (Printable)

Velvety blend of roasted garlic and caramelized tomatoes with a splash of cream for richness.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1.5 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
03 - 1 whole garlic bulb

→ Oils & Dairy

04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Liquids

06 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 tsp salt, plus additional as needed
08 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 0.5 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
10 - 0.25 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Croutons or toasted bread (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange halved tomatoes cut-side up and onion wedges on a baking sheet. Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in foil.
03 - Drizzle tomatoes and onions with olive oil, then season with salt and black pepper.
04 - Roast the vegetables and garlic for 35 to 40 minutes until tomatoes caramelize and garlic softens.
05 - Allow garlic to cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted cloves from their skins.
06 - Transfer roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves to a blender. Add vegetable broth and blend until smooth, working in batches if needed.
07 - Pour purée into a large pot, stir in heavy cream and smoked paprika if using. Taste and add sugar if necessary to balance acidity.
08 - Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and croutons or toasted bread if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The slow roasting coaxes out a natural sweetness in the tomatoes that makes the soup taste like bottled sunshine, no sugar crash afterward.
  • Roasted garlic loses its bite and turns into this buttery, caramel-like thing that makes people think you're some kind of kitchen wizard.
  • You can make it, forget about it for an afternoon, and reheat it whenever—it somehow tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step or try to rush it—those 35–40 minutes are where all the actual flavor happens, and there's no shortcut that tastes the same.
  • Add the cream after blending, not before, or it might separate when the hot soup hits it; stir it in slowly to keep everything smooth.
03 -
  • If your tomatoes aren't at peak season, add a pinch of sugar during roasting to help bring out sweetness that might be hiding.
  • An immersion blender works just as well as a regular blender and means one fewer thing to clean—I've switched almost entirely because of that.
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