Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 4 pounds tomatoes of varied shapes and sizes, coarsely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 1 red pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons thyme, picked (or whole if stems are tender)
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 quart vegetable stock or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 to 12 basil leaves, finely chopped
• Balsamic drizzle, for garnish

Directions

1. 1Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. 2Place tomatoes, onion, pepper, carrots, celery and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the top and season with thyme, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Using your hands or a kitchen spoon, toss veggies to coat them all evenly with the olive oil and seasonings. Roast in the oven until tomatoes are soft and veggies are caramelized and brown, about 15-20 minutes.
3. 3Add roasted veggies to a high-powered blender or food processor in batches, adding a few splashes of stock to get things moving, and blend/process until very smooth. Add purée to a large pot over medium-high heat and add the remaining stock and bay leaf. Bring to a bubble and reduce to a simmer to thicken a bit, about 20-30 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish with basil and a balsamic drizzle.