Posted in Recipes on 09.10.2018

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

prep: 20 mins / cook: 45 mins / inactive: 0 mins / total: 1 hour 5 mins / quantity: 4 portions Print recipe?

Aromatic and gently spiced, this Roasted Garlic and Tomato soup is thickened with whole fava beans and finished with a dash of balsamic vinegar and coconut sugar to really bring out that full tomato flavour.

There’s something about autumn that makes me want to curl up with a book or binge on a great TV series with a giant bowl of hot, thick, rich and creamy soup. And crusty bread. Always with crusty bread.

And this roasted garlic and tomato soup is FILLING! And so simple to make. Roasting serves two purposes here – it mellows the garlic but enhances the tomato. The beans give the whole thing body and extra nutrition.

Now if you’ve ever changed your diet away from conventional processed/meat based food to anything more natural and plant based suddenly everyone becomes a nutritional expert. Specifically YOUR nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, there’s all sort of delights when it comes to vegan junk food and we do (often) partake. But what is it with everyone suddenly becoming so concerned with where you’re going to get your protein??

If you’ve been wondering yourself, look no further than the humble bean. Beans come in all shapes and sizes and since discovering Hodmedods and their quite magnificent (and ever growing) range of peas, beans, seeds and pulses I’ve become an absolute fan. And beans are not only delicious and supremely versatile they’re chock full of fiber and PROTEIN!

They’re also nutrient rich, help keep you fuller for longer as well as being supremely versatile:

Fava Bean Shakshuka – my take on a very traditional Middle Eastern dish, rich and tomatoey
Spicy Baked Beans – so much more flavour (and so much less sugar!) than their tinned counterpart. Such an easy, healthy snack
Baked Haricot Bean and Veggie Fritters – perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

They’re also really easy to cook for a truly hearty and deliciously nutritious meal ?

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Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

prep: 20 mins / cook: 45 mins / inactive: 0 mins / total: 1 hour 5 mins / quantity: 4 portions

Ingredients

1 cup (200g) Hodmedods Organic Whole Fava Beans
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock
4 cups (700g) diced tomatoes
2 red onions – peeled and quartered
2 sprigs fresh rosemary – needles only
4 sprigs fresh thyme – leaves only
Olive oil
1 head of garlic – still in its skin
Salt and pepper
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp coconut sugar
3 tblsp tomato puree
1 tblsp light soy sauce

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6 and line a large tray with a silicon mat or parchment
Put the beans into a heavy based saucepan, add the veg stock and gently bubble for 40-45 minutes. Give them an occasional stir and keep your eye on the liquid, if it looks like it's bubbling dry add a bit more veg stock or just water
While they're boiling roast the veg - put the diced tomatoes, red onions and fresh herbs (see note) onto the tray and add a drizzle of oil and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Give a quick mix together with your hands or a large spoon
Tear a piece of foil and put the head of garlic into the middle. Drizzle with a tiny bit more oil then wrap the foil round the garlic to completely encase. Put on the tray with the veg
Put the tray in the oven and roast for 45 minutes
When everything is cooked carefully transfer everything except the garlic to a blender cup (or into a large bowl or saucepan if you're using a stick blender)
Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the blender cup. Add the balsamic, tomato puree and soy sauce
You might need to do the blending in a couple of batches as I did but blend until smooth
If you find the soup too thick add a bit more veg stock or water. Taste for seasoning too and add salt and pepper as necessary (smoked paprika and cumin powder would add lovely flavour too if you like a bit of spice!)
Cool then chill and/or freeze for another day or reheat in a saucepan if you're eating straight away!