Description
Roasted tomato soup with crispy gruyere toasts celebrates summer’s peak harvest with rich, concentrated flavors. Silky smooth texture and golden crunchy toasts create a classic comfort meal that comforts souls and satisfies hunger.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes (Roma or vine-ripened work best)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for extra richness)
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 0.5 cups heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy-free version)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika (optional, for depth)
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Fresh basil (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Position oven rack in the middle and preheat to 400F (200C), preparing a rimmed baking sheet.
- Vegetable Roasting: Spread tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the baking sheet, generously drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme for deep flavor development.
- Caramelization: Roast vegetables for 35-40 minutes until softened with rich, caramelized edges, concentrating their natural sweetness.
- Blending: Transfer roasted vegetables and pan drippings to a high-powered blender, adding vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes, then puree until completely smooth and velvety.
- Soup Finishing: Pour blended mixture into a saucepan, gently warming over medium heat and stirring occasionally, then incorporate heavy cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Gruyere Toast Preparation: Switch oven to broil, slice baguette diagonally, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with garlic powder and cracked black pepper, then top generously with shredded Gruyere cheese.
- Toasting: Broil bread slices for 2-3 minutes, carefully monitoring until cheese melts and turns golden brown.
- Serving: Ladle hot soup into bowls, garnish with fresh torn basil leaves, and serve crispy Gruyere toasts alongside or directly on top of the soup.
Notes
- Roast Vegetables Strategically: Position tomatoes cut-side up to maximize caramelization and concentrate flavors during roasting.
- Control Blending Texture: Blend soup until completely smooth for a velvety consistency, scraping all pan drippings to capture maximum flavor depth.
- Monitor Broiling Carefully: Watch Gruyere toasts closely during broiling to prevent burning, aiming for golden brown cheese with crispy edges.
- Customize Spice Levels: Adjust red pepper flakes and smoked paprika to personalize heat and smokiness according to individual taste preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg