Immunity-Boosting Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Move over, chicken noodle soup. This nourishing immunity-boosting slow roasted tomato basil soup is plant-based and filled with nutrients. Plus, every sip is a spoonful of comfort.

This is going to be short and sweet. Actually, it’s going to be short and savory.

The man of the place and I have been under the weather. I thought a hot bowl of homemade immunity-boosting slow roasted tomato basil soup on this rainy day might help us feel better.

My husband hasn’t had much of an appetite until today. I was craving a butternut squash soup I made last Halloween with a squash that Little Bear helped grow. It was made with a juicy, sweet apple and ladled over sautéed onions and kale.

But we were not good gardeners this year, and we didn’t even plant butternut squash. I did have several ripe tomatoes and lots of garlic, though.

Confession: I didn’t eat tomatoes for several months after reading that a super health-conscious supermodel and her super bowl quarterback husband didn’t eat nightshades.

Nightshades — the word even sounds dark. But if you can tolerate them, tomatoes offer a lot of health benefits. They are full of vitamins and minerals.

There’s something so comforting about a big bowl full of homemade slow roasted tomato basil soup. Tomato soup reminds me of my parents; especially, my dad. He always tells me to add a little milk to make it extra creamy. I prefer to use nut or oat milk.

My parents were always so loving and attentive when I wasn’t feeling well growing up. In addition to its healing potential, maybe that’s why I decided to make a pot of this immunity-boosting slow roasted tomato basil soup — it makes me think of them.

I hope that no matter how you’re feeling, this wholesome soup fills your belly and makes you feel warm and cozy. It sure made me feel better.

Immunity-Boosting Properties of Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C. Although roasting them decreases their vitamin C content a bit, it allows us to absorb more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps tomatoes turn red.

Onions can help increase immunity, and their outer layers are rich in quercetin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.

Waiting ten minutes before using smashed garlic allows it to release the compound allicin, which has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. In addition to other nutrients, garlic contains vitamin C and zinc, which can be incredibly helpful when you don’t feel well.

I’ve made this recipe a lot, using both fresh and dried basil. Either way, I think it tastes delicious. Moreover, basil may help to reduce fevers and alleviate colds and coughs.

This recipe also calls for coconut oil, which offers numerous health benefits, including antimicrobial effects.

Ingredients

• 5 cups of tomatoes (For example, four garden tomatoes.)
• 1 onion
• 4 smashed cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of dried sweet basil or a little less than 1/4 cup of fresh sweet basil
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of nut or oat milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon or more of pure maple syrup (optional)
• A touch of balsamic vinegar (optional)
• Toppings such as sourdough croutons or plant-based parmesan (optional)
• Fresh basil leaves to garnish (optional)

How to Make Immunity-Boosting Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Halve or quarter the tomatoes and slice the onion. Try not to remove too much of the outer layers, since these have more quercetin. Spread them out on a baking pan lined with unbleached totally chlorine-free parchment paper. Then pour melted coconut oil on them and season with salt and pepper. Roast them in a 300 degree oven for 60-90 minutes.

About ten minutes before the vegetables are finished roasting, smash the cloves of garlic.

Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and the remaining ingredients to a dutch oven or large pot, if you’re using an immersion blender. Blend to your preferred consistency. If you’re using a standard blender, you can add the cooled ingredients in batches to it and then pour the blended soup into a pot to simmer.

Ladle into bowls and add any toppings or garnishes you’d like, such as a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves, sourdough croutons, and plant-based parmesan.

Tips for Making Immunity-Boosting Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Use organic ingredients. GMOs and glyphosate have no place in this immunity-boosting soup.

Some people may not consider 300 degrees a roasting temperature, but the resulting depth of flavors is worth the wait of low and slow roasting.

You can use whatever type of tomatoes you like, from cherry to heirloom; however, I recommend that you don’t use yellow or green ones if you want the benefits of lycopene. I usually use classic garden tomatoes.

Similarly, you can use whichever kind of onion you have on hand. I like using sweet or red onions, but today I used a yellow one.

If I’m going for Goodfellas-style garlic that melts in the pan, I’ll use my olivewood handled microplane. But for this this soup, I just smash the cloves with my garlic masher — one of my favorite, albeit unnecessary, kitchen tools.

As much as I like roasted garlic, raw garlic is more nutritious. That’s why I add the whole smashed cloves right before blending.

I love a good blender recipe. I’ve made this with our smoothie blender and our immersion blender. Both ways work great.

If you choose to use a standard blender, you may want to cover the lid with a towel to prevent the soup from splashing out of the top.

This recipe pairs well with a warm dairy-free grilled cheese on einkorn sourdough with apple or avocado and spinach. (We’ve also poured it over a bowl of pasta.) But I was not feeling up to baking bread, so I opted to sprinkle a little plant-based parmesan on top instead.

I simmer this immunity-boosting slow roasted tomato basil soup in either a pure clay pot or my cast iron dutch oven. Gasp! I know, I know — acidic tomatoes in cast iron is a controversial topic. But I’ve never had an issue using it in my well-seasoned pot.

If you try this recipe and love it, let me know.