There are certain recipes that just feel like home, and this roasted tomato soup with croutons is absolutely one of them. Rich, deeply flavoured, and silky smooth – it’s the kind of bowl that evokes a comforting hug. And the secret to why it tastes so good? Roasting the tomatoes first. Topped with golden sourdough croutons and a grating of parmesan – this is as far from a tin of soup as it’s possible to get.
Why roast the tomatoes?
When you roast tomatoes something magical happens. Their natural sugars concentrate and caramelise, the edges catch slightly, and the whole flavour intensifies into something far greater than a raw tomato could ever achieve on its own. Add in smoked paprika, dried oregano, a gentle kick of chilli flakes, and four whole cloves of garlic roasting alongside them, and you’ve got the most incredible base for a soup. It might be tempting to skip the roasting step and just throw everything into a pan, but I’d really encourage you not to. Those 45 minutes in the oven are where all the flavour is built – and it’s pretty ‘hands off’ while they roast away.
The croutons — why bother?
Why bother with the croutons? Firstly, they add a brilliant textural contrast to the silky smooth soup, and secondly they’re the perfect way to use up a loaf of stale sourdough that might otherwise go to waste. Tossed in olive oil and roasted until golden – they’re genuinely irresistible, and I challenge you not to eat half of them straight off the tray.
Sourdough is ideal here because its slightly chewy texture holds up really well in the soup without going immediately soggy. But any good stale bread will work. I like to have a bag of sourdough crumbs and a bag of sourdough cubes in the freezer. That way you’ll always have a handful waiting to top a soup or a a pasta bake before throwing it in the oven.
What tomatoes should I use?
The riper the better, always. This is a recipe that was made for late summer, when tomatoes are at their absolute sweetest and most flavourful – whether from your own garden, a farmers’ market, or the reduced shelf at the supermarket this time of year.
Other tomato recipes
If your tomatoes are ripening faster than you can eat them right now, here are a few more recipes from the Eat Your Greens kitchen to put them to good use:
- “Swicy” tomato and chilli jam
- Tomato tart with mustard shallots
- Creamy roasted cherry tomato risotto
- Homemade tomato ketchup
Fresh, ripe tomatoes are really what makes this recipe sing – the roasting process concentrates their natural sweetness in a way that tinned tomatoes can’t quite replicate. That said, if fresh tomatoes aren’t available, a good quality tin of whole plum tomatoes will still give you a lovely soup. You won’t need to roast them, so simply add them straight to the pan with the onion and celery, and the other roasting ingredients, and proceed from step 4.
Of course – the chilli is a very gentle background warmth rather than anything fiery, but if you’re cooking for little ones or prefer to keep things mild, simply leave them out. The soup will be just as delicious.
Absolutely. Sourdough is ideal because it holds its texture well, but any slightly stale bread works. A day-old baguette, ciabatta, or a sturdy white loaf will all do the job.
Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons
Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 celery sticks diced
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika sweet
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 500 ml chicken stock preferably fresh
- 200 g stalebread sourdough is ideal
- 10 g parmesan finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on the size, and place in a large roasting tin along with 2 tbsp oil, garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes. Season well and give everything a good mix. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare your croutons by slicing your stale bread into roughly 1cm cubes and placing them in a bowl along with 1 tbsp of oil. Mix well and then scatter the bread onto a baking tray. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, tossing them around halfway through. Remove the croutons and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, gently fry your diced onion and celery for 6-8 minutes until softened.
- When the tomatoes are cooked, add them to the saucepan with the onion and celery, along with 500ml of chicken/vegetable stock. Cook for a further 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Blitz the soup with either a blender or a hand-held stick blender until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning.
- Spoon into 4 bowls, top with a handful of croutons and a sprinkling of parmesan.