As the crisp air settles in and winter hues paint the landscape, naturally I start to crave the comfort of warm and hearty dishes, like my take on the classic tomato soup.
Everyone has their own way of making it, and I have to say I very rarely make this the exact same way each time. Sometimes I roast the veg, and other times when I’m in a hurry, I’ll just throw it all into a pot for the boil. But if I had to choose the ultimate version it would be this!
This isn’t the tomato soup you remember from your childhood; it’s a next-level creation, bursting with rich, roasted flavours and aromatic herbs. Ripe tomatoes, shallots, garlic, red capsicums, and carrots are caramelised to perfection in the oven, then blended into a velvety, savoury soup, finished with fresh basil and a dollop of creamy Greek yoghurt. Paired with crispy sourdough toasties, filled with melty, stretchy mozzarella and homemade basil pesto, this dish is the epitome of winter comfort. Each bite of the crunchy, cheesy toastie dipped in the flavourful soup will warm you from the inside out, making it the perfect meal for a chilly winter day.
This also pairs perfectly with my Cheesy Garlic Bread (linked here)
Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto Cheese Toasties
Ingredients
Roasted Tomato Soup
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes
- 3 French shallots cut the top off
- 1 head of garlic cut the top off
- 2 red capsicums cut in half and deseeded
- 3 carrots peeled and roughy chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
To Serve
- a few tablespoons of Greek yoghurt
- a few teaspoons of pesto from toastie recipe
- Remaining toasted pine nuts from toastie recipe
Homemade Pesto
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon roasted pine nuts from toasting step
- Large bunch of basil
- Handful of baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Pesto Cheese Toastie (ingredients per toastie)
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 teaspoons of pesto from pesto recipe
- 30-40 g of fresh mozzarella sliced
- Olive oil for brushing
- 1 Tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Roasted Tomato Soup
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Quarter the tomatoes, and prepare your other vegetables on a baking tray ready for roasting. Keep the French shallots and garlic whole.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for about 45 minutes until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized.
- Squeeze the roasted shallots and garlic into a pot with another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the tomato paste and fry briefly.
- Add the roasted vegetables and vegetable stock to the pot. Use a stick blender to blend until smooth.
- Stir in the fresh chopped basil. Serve with a tablespoon of Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of pesto, and a sprinkle of remaining toasted pine nuts.
Homemade Pesto
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown.
- In a small food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, basil, baby spinach, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Blend until a paste forms, season with salt.
Mozzarella and Pesto Sourdough Toastie
- Spread about a teaspoon of pesto on each side of the sourdough bread slices. Place slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the pesto-covered sides.
- Brush the outside of each sandwich with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Fry the sandwiches in a pan with a bit of olive oil until crispy, toasted, and golden brown on both sides.
- Cut the toasties in half and serve alongside the roasted tomato soup.
Enjoy your delicious roasted tomato soup with mozzarella and homemade pesto sourdough toasties!
