Rich and hearty soup featuring oven-roasted tomatoes, creamy white beans, and aromatic herbs. This comforting bowl delivers deep, concentrated flavors with a velvety smooth texture that's both satisfying and nutritious.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 1kg ripe tomatoes, halved
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 400g canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1L vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 30g fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sugar
- to taste salt
- to taste freshly ground black pepper
- 50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Place 1kg ripe tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with half the 60ml extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Add whole 6 cloves garlic cloves to the pan.
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Roast for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized and slightly charred at edges. Remove and let cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skins.
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Meanwhile, heat remaining 60ml extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 large yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, and 1 large carrot. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.
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Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, 1L vegetable stock, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity.
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Remove 1 bay leaf and {thyme} stems. Add 30g fresh basil leaves leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth (or carefully transfer to a regular blender in batches).
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Return to pot if necessary. Stir in 400g canned cannellini beans and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through. Season with to taste salt and to taste freshly ground black pepper.
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Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Tips
Tomato Selection: Use the ripest tomatoes available. Roma or plum tomatoes work especially well as they have less water content and concentrate beautifully when roasted.
Roasting Technique: Don't skip the roasting step - it caramelizes the natural sugars and adds incredible depth of flavor that can't be achieved by simmering alone.
Bean Variations: Great northern beans or navy beans work equally well. For extra protein, add a second can of beans or stir in cooked lentils.
Texture Options: For a chunkier soup, reserve half the beans before blending and add them back at the end. For ultra-smooth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Storage: Soup keeps for 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. The flavor actually improves after a day. Reheat gently and add a splash of stock if too thick.