Tomato Basil Soup

This hearty tomato soup is really great for a cool autumn day. And it's a healthy recipe that anyone will enjoy. It does take a while to make because the tomatoes have to roast for an hour, but that doesn't require any active attention, so the actual prep time is probably more like fifteen minutes to chop vegetables and fifteen to thirty minutes to cook the soup.

Tomato Basil Soup
10–15 roma tomatoes
olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4–6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
2 cans vegetable broth
1 cup almond milk (optional)
water, if needed
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove cores. Spread on a foil-covered baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about one hour.

Sauté onion in a few tablespoons of water in a large pot over medium heat. After the onions are soft, add the garlic. Cook for another minute or two and then add the roasted tomatoes, broth, milk, and enough water (if needed) to just cover the tomatoes. Add basil, pepper, and onion powder. Boil for 15–30 minutes. Then add the salt. Blend the soup in two batches in a blender, being careful to release steam through the lid so that too much pressure doesn't build up. Serve hot!

Note: If you want your soup to look more red, you can add a few tablespoons of tomato paste to the soup when you add the tomatoes. Otherwise, it will be a little lighter than most tomato soups.