THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED
- 3½ lb (≈1.6 kg) ripe tomatoes (small- to medium-sized – such as cherry, grape, Roma or cluster)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt & freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup loosely-packed fresh basil leaves
- Optional toppings: freshly-grated Parmesan (or other
cheese), drizzle of heavy cream or olive oil, croutons or grilled-cheese croutons, sour cream or extra basil leaves
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO
1. Preheat your oven to 450 °F (230 °C).
2. Prepare the tomatoes. Quarter the tomatoes (or halve if very small), and spread them cut-side-up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, season with salt and
pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until softened and concentrated.
3. Sauté aromatics. While the tomatoes roast, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic, smoked paprika and crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté for ~2 minutes more.
4. Combine & simmer. Add the roasted tomatoes (with their juices), the vegetable broth and basil leaves to the pot. Stir to combine.
5. Purée the soup. Using an immersion blender (or carefully transfer in batches to a traditional blender–see note below), purée the soup until it reaches your desired texture (smooth or slightly chunkier, your choice).
6. Season & serve. Taste and adjust with extra salt, pepper and/or smoked paprika as needed. Serve warm, with your choice of topping(s).
20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 