Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup

Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup

In this twist on classic tomato soup, Calabrian chiles turn up the heat and the oven does most of the  heavy lifting in creating a flavorful base. Roasting fresh tomatoes concentrates their natural flavors, which makes the method  an excellent way to use up any forgotten, bruised or out of season tomatoes. Oil-packed chiles add complex flavor and zippy spice,while a splash of heavy cream lends body and balances the heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with a smaller amount of chiles as you can always add more when blending or as a garnish. Each spoonful should warm (but not burn) the back of your throat, then settle before the next bite.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds medium to large tomatoes, cut into eighths

1 medium yellow onion (about 7 ounces), cut into 1-inch chunks

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 

1 to 2 whole oil-packed Calabrian chiles (stems removed), plus 1 teaspoon of the oil (or ½ to 1 tablespoon chopped Calabrian chiles in oil), plus more for serving (see Tip)

3 tablespoons tomato paste 

5 teaspoons olive oil 

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper 

½ teaspoon dried basil

1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth 

½ teaspoon sugar (see Tip) 

3 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for serving

In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, Calabrian chiles and oil, tomato paste, olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and dried basil. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and tomato paste. 

Place the pot in the oven, uncovered, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and the juices have been released and start to bubble and thicken around the sides of the pot, 25 to 30 minutes total (including the oven heating), stirring halfway through. 

Transfer the pot to a burner over high heat and stir in the broth and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until a fork easily pierces the vegetables, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. 

Use a blender (working in batches as needed) or immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm with a drizzle of cream or Calabrian chile oil, if desired. 

Tips: The soup gets a lot of flavor from the Calabrian chile, but if needed, you can substitute with ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper plus 1 teaspoon olive oil. After blending, stir in 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons lemon juice until the soup tastes bright.

If the soup tastes too acidic for your liking, you can balance it with a pinch or two more sugar. Use sparingly.