I think we all know that summertime is when tomatoes taste their finest. After months of enjoying the local tomatoes from our favorite farm stand, Wilson Farms, I start to freak out that months will pass before we can enjoy that flavor again. So I try to preserve at least some of that joy by roasting and freezing large quantities of the summer’s last few harvests. The method I use can be found here.
So this recipe actually started months ago and now that the weather has turned a bit nippy, it’s time for hearty soups to hit the menu and take advantage of a few things I have in the freezer. (I also blanch and freeze fresh corn kernels, but store bought works fine here too)
I know a lot of folks do not have pre-roasted and seasoned tomatoes kicking about in their freezer. Not to worry, you can pick up some plum tomatoes at your local supermarket or farm stand and recreate them all year long. The good news is that roasting winter tomatoes adds a level of depth of flavor you can’t really get by just using them right from the store. And if you are making this in the summer, bonus!
If you are not really ready to go down the roasting path, grab some canned plum tomatoes (use San Marzano), add some dried or fresh oregano and you are good to go (see note 1 below). I do recommend a little extra cook time if you go this route and maybe make the soup a day early and let it sit in the refrigerator to amp up the flavor even more. (This is true no matter what path you choose)
This recipe is influenced by many things, Tuscan soup, minestrone, and plain old tomato soup. I also had a bunch of leftover vegetables, like my roasted brussel sprouts and some steamed broccoli. These were hanging out since Thanksgiving and while I enjoyed them on their own as leftovers, they simply needed to give up their space in the fridge. Like so many of my recipes, leftovers are just like another episode of Chopped.
I served this soup with my Corn Bread on the side.
Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup
Course: SoupDifficulty: Moderate6
servingsRoasted tomatoes give this classic soup depth and flavor.
Ingredients
5 Cups Roasted Tomato Puree (see note 1 below)
1 15.5 Oz Can White Beans (Cannellini)
2 Cups Chicken Stock (boxed is fine, homemade is better)
1 Cup Frozen Whole Corn Kernels
2 Stalks Celery (sliced)
1 Leek (white part only, halved and sliced)
1 Carrot (sliced into thin strips)
1/4 Cup Parsley (roughly chopped)
1/2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper
Salt/Pepper to Taste
2 TBSP Olive Oil (approx)
- Optional Items (these are random things I had in the refrigerator, see note 2 below)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts (about a cup)
Steamed Broccoli (about 2 cups)
Process
- Blend roasted tomatoes into a smooth puree
- Slice and chop leek, carrot and celery.
- Rough chop parsley, set aside.
- Drain white beans, set aside.
- Chop optional vegetables, if using, set aside.
- Measure out frozen corn and chicken stock, set aside.
- Heat a 2 quart (or larger) pot to medium heat. Swirl olive oil in bottom of pan.
- Add leek, celery and carrot to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until slightly tender.
- Add red pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add roasted tomato puree and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil. Season again with salt and pepper.
- Once at a boil add frozen corn and optional vegetables to pot reduce to simmer.
- Stir in parsley. Check seasoning again. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer over medium low heat for at least another 15 minutes.
- Check seasoning one more time. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or cool and freeze for future.
Notes
- 1. I used roasted tomatoes that I had from the end of summer blitz of the harvest at our local food stand. These were seasoned with salt pepper and oregano when I made them and then freezed them. You can recreate this by following these instructions or you can substitute canned whole tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes, add about a teaspoon of dried oregano (or even better) a tablespoon of fresh.
- 2. I had leftover vegetables in my refrigerator that made their way into this soup. You can make the brussel sprouts by following this recipe or leave these out. Same with the steamed broccoli, had them in the fridge, threw them in. The point is this soup is a good way to use up leftover vegetables. Use your imagination!