Growing up, I never liked tomatoes and so once in a while, when my mom would whip up tomato “shorba” (Indian word for soup), I would sit at the dinner table for hours stubbornly refusing to eat it, and my mom would just as stubbornly refuse to let me get up without finishing it.
It’s funny how one’s taste buds evolve over time. Tomato soup is a dish that I now can eat several times a week, especially the kind I make which is creamy, spicy and full of flavor. Best of all, it’s a low-effort recipe and the majority of the time is taken in oven-roasting the tomatoes which release all of its yummy flavors and kicks up the taste a notch. My hubby grows a lot of tomatoes in our yard, so when in season, this soup makes its way to our dinner table quite frequently.
The creaminess in the soup comes from cannellini beans, but you can easily substitute it with any legume of your choice. And because I never lose an opportunity to sneak in some greens, I also add finely chopped kale to the soup. I had no idea kale and tomato would be such a rocking pair until I tried this recipe.
This soup can be easily made oil-free, and in fact, that’s how I make it most of the time. It also freezes well, so it’s perfect for those nights when you want to put something warm and comforting on the table with minimum effort.
Pair this soup with some crusty sourdough bread and you have a wholesome filling meal ready on hand!
Creamy Roasted Tomato and Kale Soup
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy6
servings45
minutes10
minutesA creamy healthy soup made with roasted tomatoes and kale – the kind that will make you ditch the canned one once and for all!
Ingredients
3 pounds plum or roma tomatoes, halved (around 8 or 9 tomatoes)
1 yellow onion, cut into big chunks
8-10 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
1 (15 oz.) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like spicy)
2 cups finely chopped kale (either lacinato or curly)
3-4 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt for seasoning and to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the onions and tomatoes on a parchment lined baking tray. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil, if using. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Add in the garlic after 20 minutes and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes (40 minutes total for the onions and tomatoes).
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Blend the veggies with the cannellini beans, 2 cups of water or broth, oregano and red pepper flakes in a blender. Alternatively, add all the above to a pot and blend with an immersion blender.
- Transfer the blended mixture to a pot, add the chopped kale, the remaining cup of water/broth and salt to taste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes and then serve in bowls with some bread on the side.
