OK, I know it’s technically spring now, but with the gloomy, rainy weather descending on us yet AGAIN, my food cravings are still turning toward comfort food, like roast chicken, pastas, and soups.  Since we started doing this whole paleo experiment, most of the comfort foods I typically crave have sadly become forbidden. (Grilled cheese sandwiches and cacio de pepe, I miss you so…!)  Thank goodness I can still whip up my Easy Paleo Roasted Tomato Soup on a cold, drizzly day.  The fact that it takes minimal effort and all comes together in a blender makes it somehow taste even better!

 

Break apart the onion sections before roasting to allow more surface area exposure to heat in the oven.

 

How many of you always had tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when you were sick as kids? To me, that particular meal is the ultimate comfort food and makes me feel better regardless of what the weather is doing outside.  Sadly, we had to say “good-bye” to the grilled cheese sandwiches, but this Easy Paleo Roasted Tomato Soup is so packed full of flavor and has such a lovely, silky texture that I almost don’t realize the sandwich is missing.  (Who am I kidding?  There are so many days when I can’t help but give paleo a mental middle finger for making me cut out dairy, but sacrifices must be made…)  When I want to have something with a bit of texture to dip into my Easy Paleo Roasted Tomato Soup, I sometimes will break down and buy some crazy expensive almond flour bread from Whole Foods, or whip up this recipe for paleo sandwich bread from Living Healthy with Chocolate.  (That is a great paleo blog by the way.  I highly recommend you check it out for some awesome inspiration!)  It helps to satisfy those bread cravings without any of the guilt.

 

Freshly chopped basil is the key for a pop of flavor in this tomato soup.

 

This Easy Paleo Roasted Tomato Soup can come together in less than 30 minutes and is full of healthy, good for you ingredients that taste amazing. Plus you can double it with ease, so you can always make more if you are feeding a larger crowd.  Try it out this week while the weather is dreary and you won’t regret it!

(In case you missed it, I talk a little bit about our experiment with the paleo diet in my prior post.  Read about it here and also try out the Paleo Spatchcock Chicken with Sweet Potato Stuffing!)

Easy Paleo Roasted Tomato Soup

Makes 2-3 dinner size servings

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ lbs fresh tomatoes, halved (I used a combination of Campari tomatoes and grape tomatoes)
  • 1 extra large onion, quartered
  • 5 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • Olive oil (approximately 3 Tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Additional salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garnish: Sliced basil and a drizzle of olive oil
  • Special Equipment: Parchment paper and a blender (You can also use a food processor or immersion blender if needed)

 

Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place the tomatoes, quartered onion, and garlic cloves in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper over the mixture and gently toss to coat, breaking the onion apart into segments. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl on the prepared baking sheet and spread everything out into one layer with minimal overlap.
  • Place the baking sheet in the center of the hot oven and cook for approximately 25-40 minutes or until the edges of the onions begin to char and the tomatoes start to shrivel. Keep an eye on them during this process so that they don’t blacken completely. You want some char, but not so much that the ingredients are indistinguishable!
Roasting the ingredients just enough so that just the edges blacken is perfect!
  • Once you reach your desired level of char, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool for about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully place the roasted vegetables in your blender and pour in the excess juices from the pan. Add the ½ cup of chopped basil and red pepper flakes, if using. Cover and blend on high until everything is completely pureed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Scoop the roasted ingredients into the blender and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes before tossing in the basil.
  • Serve in bowls with a garnish of sliced basil and a small drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!