Oven-Roasted Tomato Soup

Artwork by my daughter, Melissa Madeline Brocke

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

(40 to 45 minutes in 400 degree oven)

My Yummy Lunch

Oven Roasted Tomato Soup with Greek Yogurt Garnish

This soup tastes like summer to me. And while I usually like to add butter in my normal version, this fiddle version was still very rich and satifying. I will also try a test version out of tomato soup made with canned tomatoes for those of you who don't time have the time to make the Oven-Roasted ones. But the good news is that you can make the Oven-Roasted Tomatoes 3 to 5 days in advance and then use them in the soup whenever you want them. Sometimes I'm in a hurry and don't remove the skins and just through the whole thing into the soup. But often I do remove the skins and just use the insides. If you roast the skins all the way, then they just pop right off when they are done. If they are not coming off easily then you need to cook the tomatoes a bit longer.

And go ahead and use the olive oil recommended in the recipe. This recipe is only 1 point so having the real olive oil on the onions instead of non-stick cooking spray really adds to the flavor.

Fiddle Version of Oven Roasted Tomato Soup

Makes 6 1-cup servings

3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes

(approximately 11 tomatoes)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

zest of one lemon, optional

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

pinch of salt for onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock

(I recommend Swanson's Natural Goodness if you can't make your own)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced, (optional)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Roast the tomatoes: remove stems from tomatoes. Slice them in half and toss them in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, zest of one lemon and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place them on a parchment paper on a half-sheet pan (baking sheet tray). Roast in a 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes until tomatoes are "deflated" and skins are slightly brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Remove skins if you wish.

In a large soup pot, saute diced yellow onion in one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle onions with pinch of kosher salt while sauteeing. Cook for five minutes and add minced garlic. If onions start to brown too quickly you can add water or stock and let that cook down. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, 3 cups chicken stock (broth), red pepper flakes, basil, fresh ginger (optional) and 1 teaspoon salt. Puree with emersion blender. If you don't have a hand-held emersion blender than put onions, and all the cool ingredients in a normal blender and puree. It is better to puree before you heat it because blending hot soups will explode all over your kitchen if you don't vent the top.

Cook until warm. Garnish with 1/2 teaspoon of sour cream or plain yogurt if you wish.

I cup serving of soup = 1 point*

Or add sometimes I dice up these mini Ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls. They are only 10 calories each and only .5 grams of fat. So two of them are just .5 point* making your soup with the cheese 1.5 points total*

*The Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Maili and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by Weight Watchers International, Inc., the owner of the Points® registered trademark.