Creamy Roasted Green Tomato Soup

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It’s impossible for all the garden tomatoes to be timed perfectly so they ripen into juicy, red beauties before the first frost. Each year I say I’m going to make fried green tomatoes, but to be honest, it’s never happened because I just can’t be bothered with frying things at home.

But soup? I can do! And whole heartedly want to do, as soup is one of the best things about cooler weather setting in. I’d be happy to come home to any of these gluten-free soup recipes.

Green Tomatoes + Coconut Milk = the perfect match

While I was working on this Green Tomato Soup, it was quite apparent that the tartness of the unripe tomatoes would need to be tamed. Roasting them achieved this, but it needed more balance. So rather than use heavy cream, I’ve used coconut milk here, which balances the tang by adding a bit of sweetness and creaminess. Cashews are also simmered with the other ingredients, making this soup wonderfully creamy without any dairy.

I also put onions and a whole head of garlic on the sheetpan too (if you like the idea of a sheetpan soup, my Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque is made the same way), both of which become sweeter with roasting, to counteract the tang.

The coconut milk isn’t overpowering – it simply acts as a neutralizer to make this soup more well-rounded. Pairing with ginger and basil made it a winning combination, such bright and fresh ingredients that remind me of flavors I find in Thai cooking. This soup is absolutely delicious and satisfying, especially with toasted sourdough bread for dipping!

Green tomatoes and tomatillos are often mistaken for one another, but are quite different actually.

• Green Tomatoes: Look like regular tomatoes but are firm and green. Flavor-wise they are tart and tangy. I like to cook them usually in one way or another to tame the tartness.
• Tomatillos: You can spot these easily because hey will always have a papery, husk-like outer layer – this does need to be peeled off before cooking. The fruit inside is green, firm, and sticky. Tomatillos are tangy and slightly citrusy, with a bright, zesty flavor that is more pronounced than that of green tomatoes. I use them every summer to make my zesty Tomatillo Salsa Verde for canning and then eat it throughout the year!

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Creamy Roasted Green Tomato Soup (w. coconut milk)

This creamy roasted green tomato soup is the most delicious way to use unripe tomatoes! Roasting the vegetables and using coconut milk balances the tartness of the green tomatoes beautifully. Basil and fresh ginger add wonderful bright flavor, and cashews give it a rich creaminess without any dairy.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time :10 minutes minutes

Cook Time :40 minutes minutes

Yield: 5 servings

Author: Amanda Paa

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds green tomatoes (unripe tomatoes)
• 2 medium onions (weighing 3/4 pound, 360 grams)
• 1 head garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided*
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can full fat coconut milk
• 1 to 1/2 cups (8 to 12 ounces) chicken broth*
• 1/3 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar*
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove core from tomatoes and cut into quarters. Peel onions and cut in half vertically through the root. Then cut each half in half through the root, so you have wedges. Place tomatoes and onion on a large baking sheet and toss with with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
• Cut top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place head of garlic in a small piece of foil, cut side up. Rub exposed cloves with 1 tablespoon olive oil and wrap foil around it to enclose and seal; place on baking sheet with tomatoes and onion.
• Roast for 30 minutes, until tomatoes and onion are browning slightly and tender. Remove from oven, then unwrap garlic, set aside to cool.
• Add tomatoes and onion to a pot, along with coconut milk, 1 cup of broth, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, cashews, ginger, and sugar. Bring to a light simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Then add this mixture to a blender. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of the garlic head and add to a blender, along with basil.
• Blend for 40 seconds to a minute, until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt or sugar if needed – if it is too tangy for your preference, add additional teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt to balance.

  To serve, top with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – this is important as it really completes the soup – don't go without it. And then cracked black pepper and a little flaky salt!

Notes

*Do not leave out the sugar – it is integral in balancing the acidity from the green tomatoes. It does not make it sweet. 

*After blending, you can add a little more broth if you’d like the soup thinner. Start with a few tablespoons.

*I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. If you use Morton Kosher Salt, reduce salt to 1 3/4 teaspoons.

Refrigerate or Freeze

• Let the soup cool slightly before storing.
• Store in the fridge if you plan to eat it within 3-4 days. Make sure the soup has cooled down before putting it in the fridge to prevent raising the temperature inside.
• Freezer: For longer storage (up to 2-3 months), use freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Leave some space at the top, as the soup will expand when it freezes.