Creamy!

Cashews are the secret ingredient for this divine soup.

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Creamy Roasted Vegan Tomato Garlic Soup 

All year long, I eat soup. Even on the long, hot days of July, a bowl of soup is nourishing and satisfying. It’s so easy to make healthy soups at home, and with good tomatoes (use organic canned if making during the winter), roasted garlic, and cashews for creaminess, this rich, velvety soup is one of my favorites. I like to make a fresh pot of soup each week and then keep in the refrigerator for an instant lunch or dinner. When reheating, I always add a handful of broccoli or spinach for a boost of greens. Enjoy!

Serves 4

What you need:

  • 10 Roma tomatoes, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt 
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper 
  • 1½ cups water, divided 
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika  
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme 
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano 
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • Fresh basil leaves

What you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tomatoes and garlic evenly onto a baking sheet. Toss with salt and pepper, place in oven, and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. 
  2. Into a large pot over medium heat, heat ½ cup water. Add onion, and cook for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
  3. Add remaining 1 cup water to pot, plus the roasted tomatoes and garlic, tomato paste, paprika, thyme, oregano, lemon juice, and cashews. 
  4. Using a hand-held blender (or transfer entire mixture to a blender), blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into individual soup bowls and top with fresh basil.

Healthy hints:

  • >> I love my Vitamix for turning cashews into a velvety cream. But  If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews overnight so they become soft and easy to blend.
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  • >> I’ve found that Roma tomatoes are the best for soup. I love using fresh, ripe, super-red tomatoes during the summer.
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  • >> Want a little heat? Add ½ teaspoon red chili flakes before blending.