Vegan Roasted Tomato Soup

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Spread tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic cloves in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 400ºF for 35-40 minutes or until garlic is roasted and tomatoes have caramelized. Remove thyme and bay leaves and discard them. Set the tomatoes and garlic aside.

3. In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes and garlic to pan and saute 1 minute to draw any remaining juice out of the tomatoes.

4. Add vegetable stock to pot and bring to a low boil. Then reduce to a simmer.

5. With an immersion blender, blend soup until all chunks are out and soup is creamy and smooth. (Don’t have an immersion blender? Carefully transfer soup in small batches to a standard blender and puree, then return to pot. My immersion blender is my best friend, though—I highly recommend getting one! I use it several times a week for soups in the winter).

6. Return soup to a simmer and add coconut milk, paprika, lemon zest, and basil. Re-season with salt and pepper to taste and bring back to a simmer.

7. At this point, the soup should have thickened a bit. If it’s still too thin for your taste, cook it on a low boil for an additional 15 minutes to let some of the excess liquid evaporate. When the soup has reached your desired consistency, ladle it into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of fresh basil. Serve immediately.