Easy Roasted Tomato and Cashew Soup

Today’s frigid temperatures left me craving a warm and comforting tomato soup. If you can’t find good tomatoes this time of year, you can certainly substitute with canned whole tomatoes.  

This soup is not just comforting, but also a nutritional powerhouse! Tomatoes are one of the major sources of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.  They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K.  Studies show that cutting and heating tomatoes opens up the cell wall of the fruit, which allows greater access to the health benefits of lycopene. 

I love this recipe because it uses cashews instead of cream to thicken the soup.  Fresh basil and dried oregano is added at the end as the perfect complement to the tomatoes.

1 red onion, roughly chopped

5 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 cup of unsalted cashews

10-15 medium sized beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into ½ inch rounds

½ cup of basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the cashews in 1½ cups of water overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic cloves in a large pan and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden.

Place cashews and soaking liquid in a blender and puree. Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add water to thin out.