Roasted tomato soup with spinach and ricotta dumplings

Tomato soup recipe

Tomato soup has to be one of the most comforting soups there is. Rich and creamy and oh-so delicious, making tomato soup with fresh tomatoes brings vibrant flavour to every spoonful. But don’t let the comforting vibes fool you into thinking a tomato soup is ideal for winter only – it’s refreshing as a year-round soup option, and can also be served chilled as a cold tomato soup (known as a “gazpacho”). When you roast the tomatoes first, this brings a whole new complexity to the flavours. Ready in just 30 minutes, this soup will become an instant staple on your weekday meal plan. And we have the best tomato soup recipe for you… one that adds spinach and ricotta dumplings to the mix – yes, really!

How to make tomato soup

Turn on the oven and preheat it to 220°C. While the oven is heating up, place a piece of baking paper on an oven tray and arrange the tomatoes, garlic, and onion on it. Spray or drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Give everything a stir so it’s all well coated. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until the tomato is charred and starting to fall apart. You’ll need to squeeze the garlic from the skins, so set the tray aside for 5 minutes to let everything cool slightly before separating the garlic from its skins.

While the vegetables are cooling, sprinkle some flour on a baking tray. Now, put the ricotta in the middle of a piece of paper towel and bring the four corners together to enclose the ricotta, and then squeeze the liquid out of the ricotta. You won’t need the liquid, so discard it. Grab a medium bowl and place the ricotta in it, along with the spinach, parmesan, egg, and flour. Grab a wooden spoon and stir until everything is well combined. And, of course, season with salt and pepper. Grab a tablespoon and scoop up a portion of ricotta mixture and place it in the palm of your hand to roll into a ball. When nicely round, place it on the floured baking tray. Repeat this until all the ricotta mixture has been used.

Place the cooled vegetables into a large saucepan and then pour over the stock. Using a stick blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

While the soup is simmering, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Once the water is bubbling, turn the heat down so the water reduces to a simmer. Add half of the dumplings to the water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the dumplings float to the surface. (Much like when you’re cooking gnocchi!) Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

Using a ladle, add soup to your serving bowls and place dumplings on top. Top with basil leaves, parmesan, and a little oil over the top and it’s ready to serve on its own or with crusty bread on the side.

Now get cooking

Tomato is such a versatile soup and there are many different tomato soup recipes. Add cannellini beans to create a roasted tomato and bean soup, or bring a little heat by adding some chillies for a tomato and basil soup with chilli and parmesan, boost up the veggie intake – perfect for little ones! – by roasting some carrots with the tomatoes for a roasted tomato and carrot soup. For a heartier option, stir in some cooked mixed vegetables and small pasta for a minestrone soup. Or if you’re looking for something cool and refreshing, serve the tomato soup cold, a-la-gazpacho!