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.
Yield: 5 servings
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.
