Growing up, my favorite soup was tomato soup. And then I became an adult, and something wonderful happened — I discovered tomato basil soup. Thank you, La Madeleine. And now I’m drooling…and starving. Cool.

Unfortunately, eating La Madeleine’s soup on regular basis is guaranteed to give you a larger rear-end. So, in an effort to keep our rear-ends in tip-top shape, I’m sharing a skinny version of my beloved tomato basil soup. Thank you, Ina Garten.

Warning: This recipe makes A LOT of soup. Enough to feed at least 5 people. So if you’re just making it for yourself, I would half the recipe. 

If you’ve never roasted your own tomatoes before, lemme tell you, they smell heavenly! I wanted to dig in to the tomatoes as soon as I pulled them out of the oven.

And don’t even get me started on the onions, butter and red pepper flakes. Holy yum.

Roasted tomatoes, onions, AND fresh basil? Yes. My kitchen has never smelled better.

After simmering those ingredients to tomato-y perfection, they get passed through the food mill (on the coarsest blade). And the pieces too big to pass through the food mill? Those were chopped and added, too.

The soup was wonderful even before seasoning to taste, but a little extra oomph gave it the perfect flavor. Thanks, Little Sister. (She knew exactly what to add, of course.) A little salt and pepper. A dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Perfection.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:
– 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
– 1/4 cup + 2 tbs. olive oil
– 1 tbs. kosher salt
– 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
– 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
– 6 garlic cloves, minced
– 2 tbs. unsalted butter
– 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
– 1 (28 oz.) canned plum tomatoes, with the juice
– 4 cups fresh basil leaves. packed
– 1 qt. chicken stock or water (I used low sodium chicken stock)
– Dash of Worcestershire sauce
– 1/2 tsp. sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet, and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-qt. stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with 2 tbs. of olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes (until the onions start to brown). Add the canned tomatoes, basil and chicken stock; then add the roasted tomatoes with all of the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill on the coarsest blade. (This will take a while, be patient.) Season to taste (add the Worcestershire sauce and sugar), and then serve hot, or cold.

Side Notes:
*Using the food mill is easier with two people. This recipe is perfect for date night; it’s a great excuse to get your man in the kitchen!
*If the soup is too chunky for your liking, try putting it in the blender. 

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I did.

Do you have a favorite soup recipe? Share it with me!

Stay fit (and warm), friends! Xo