Creamy Tomato Soup

by Laura Frerichs, Tastemaker in Residence

Chickpeas make this soup “creamy”. If you don’t want to use a can of diced tomatoes, then add 4-5 more fresh tomatoes to the roasting mix. Recipe via L&L
Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled


4 medium fresh tomatoes

1 small onion, sliced into quarters
1

(14-oz) can diced tomatoes

1/3 cup cooked chickpeas
1

tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon maple syrup


2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil


¼ to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Heaping ½ teaspoon sea salt


freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wrap the garlic cloves in a piece of foil and place it on the baking sheet along with the whole tomatoes and the onion wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes and onions are well browned. Peel the garlic and transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender.
Reduce the oven heat to 400° F and line the baking sheet with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. To the blender, add the canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and freshly ground pepper and blend until creamy (a Vitamix is ideal here. If using a regular blender, just blend longer!). Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. At this stage, the soup should still be hot. If not, pour it into a pot to reheat it. Serve the soup with the croutons (some in the soup, some on the side) and additional fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and chickpeas, if desired.