Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

I can no longer deny that it’s soup season. I love making them: quick, easy, warming, nutritious and the perfect way to use up the bounty of slightly past it autumn vegetables. There’s something ultimately comforting about tomato soup – that bowl of Heinz cream of tomato takes you straight back to the comfort of your childhood and can be a perfect warming pick-me-up. Cream soups are out of the equation when you’re avoiding dairy, but this little beauty of a simple soup ticks all the same boxes as the classic canned version but also manages to be vegan, creamy and welcoming all at the same time.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, soya-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan)

serves 4

• 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes
• a good glug of olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 500ml good vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• large pinch oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsps tomato puree
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• a few basil leaves, to serve

– Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 6

– Place the cherry tomatoes in a roasting tin, scatter on some salt, pepper and oregano and roast for 30 minutes.

– Add the sliced onions and garlic clove. Drizzle over the balsamic and roast for another 20 minutes.

– Tip into a blender with the stock, tomato puree and seasoning. Blitz until a smooth puree.

– Taste and adjust the seasoning.

– Pass through a sieve and then serve scattered with basil leaves.