Smoked Tomato Soup
It’s that very sad time of year for us when tomato season comes to an end. We are trolling farmers markets in search of any remaining tomatoes so we can make all the things that we can freeze or can to keep tomato season going throughout winter and spring. Our latest endeavor is Smoked Tomato Soup.
Smoked Tomato Soup is a wonderful, comforting soup thanks to the smoky flavor. It freezes really well so you will be able to enjoy it well into the colder months. It takes some time to smoke the tomatoes but, if you make a big batch and freeze some, the payoff is immense. If you don’t have a smoker or a grill, you can slow roast the tomatoes in the oven but the soup won’t have that smoky flavor.
We suggest making some cheesy toasts to accompany the soup. We used a sliced baguette and topped some slices with Gruyère cheese and some with white cheddar cheese on top of apple slices. Just plain bread would also be perfect for sopping up every last drop!
What are you doing with the last of your tomatoes? Let us know in the comments!
Jump to Recipe
Heirloom tomatoes are great in this soup, but feel free to use whatever tomatoes you can get.
Toss quartered tomatoes in olive oil and Old Bay spice and place on foil lined baking pan over indirect heat on your grill.
After a couple of hours, the tomatoes will be good and smoky and lightly charred on the edges.
Once cool enough to handle, but while still warm, remove the skins from the tomatoes.
Cook the onion, carrot and celery over medium heat until soft.
Fresh basil adds a wonderful flavor boost to the soup, but feel free to use any herb you’d like.
Allow all of the soup ingredients to simmer for about 20-25 minutes so the flavors can meld.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor, or use an immersion blender.
Strain the soup into a medium pot and gently mix in the heavy cream. Heat gently to desired temperature, but do not boil.
Delicious served with cheesy toast!
Smoked Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 large firm tomatoes (we prefer heirloom) quartered
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS Old Bay spice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 TBS tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/8 cup julienned fresh basil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees, and set up for indirect cooking. You will want to add a couple of wood chunks of your choice to the coals.
- Toss your tomatoes with olive oil, old bay seasoning, salt, and pepper, and place them on a foil lined sheet pan. Set the pan on the grill grates and close the lid. Allow to smoke for about 2 hours.
- Remove tomatoes from smoker and allow to cool until able to handle. Peel the skins from the tomatoes while they are still warm and discard the skins.
- Heat the butter in a large soup pot set on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-9 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
- Add the stock and tomatoes along with all accumulated juices and bring to a boil. Add the basil, and lower to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Using a food processor or hand immersion blender blend the soup until relatively smooth. Pour the blended soup through a strainer to remove large pieces of pulp and return to a pot set over medium low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.