Rustic Tomato and Fennel Soup

It’s a savory soup loaded with red, ripe tomatoes roasted with garlic and olive oil, along with sautéed fennel, sweet onions, carrots, and a mountain of fresh basil. Cubes of ciabatta bread are tossed in, adding body and soaking up the base of the soup made with a robust red wine and rich chicken stock. No matter the date on your calendar, any day is a good day for soup!

When you mention tomato soup, most people would admittedly think of the canned version. I don’t think it would be a stretch to say most everyone’s Mom at one point in time served it. But to fair to the cherished tomato, the canned condensed version just doesn’t do it justice. I have several favorite tomato soup recipes, and this is at the top of the list. It starts with three pounds of fresh Roma tomatoes, also referred to as plum tomatoes. They’re available year-round, full and plump with a taste that deepens beautifully roasted with garlic and olive oil.

The complexity of flavors in the soup comes from carrots, fennel, sweet onion and of course those roasted tomatoes and garlic. The heartiness is compliments of ciabatta, a fabulous Italian bread that’s hidden within the soup.

An additional layer of tomato flavor is added using premium canned plum tomatoes along with their luscious juices. Add fresh basil and a bit of red pepper flakes – for an unexpected note of heat – then simmer everything in red wine and a rich chicken stock.

This recipe makes a generous batch and reheats beautifully. Hearty without being heavy, it’s a vibrant, bold tomato soup perfect any season!

Rustic Tomato and Fennel Soup

3 pounds fresh Roma tomatoes, halved and stem end removed

4 teaspoons chopped garlic, about 4 to 5 garlic cloves

2-½ to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 tablespoons butter

3 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled, then thinly sliced – about 1-½ cups

2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced, about 4 cups

1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, 2 cups

5 cups cubed ciabatta bread, about half of a loaf

1 large can Roma tomatoes, 28-ounces

1-½ cups fresh basil leaves

4 cups chicken stock

¾ cup Pinot Noir

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.

Place the tomato halves and the garlic on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with a Silpat liner or with foil. Toss with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, coating the tomatoes evenly. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer cut side up. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper.

Roast the tomatoes in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until they are starting to collapse, and the skins are beginning to loosen. Time will vary depending on the size of your tomatoes. Let them cool until you can handle them. Peel the skins off the tomatoes and collect the meat of the tomatoes along with any juices that have accumulated while roasting for the soup. Make certain to scoop up any chopped garlic left on the pan.

While the tomatoes roast, melt the butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, and fennel and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.

Add the ciabatta bread, tossing into the vegetables and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with 2 teaspoons of the remaining kosher salt and the remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Stir in the peeled, roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes and their juices, chicken stock, wine, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes.

Using an immersion blender, purée until the soup has a slightly smooth consistency. You can also transfer the soup to a blender and process.

Continue cooking over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining kosher salt if needed. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 8 to 10.

Fennel – sometimes referred to as anise – has a fresh, almost peppery, minty flavor when it’s raw. And when cooked it adds a fragrant and savory bite to any dish. All parts of fennel are edible from the bulb to the fronds. For this dish, just the bulb is used. To prep the fennel, trim the green fronds from the bulb, slice it in half and remove the touch core by making a “V-shape” cut with a sharp paring knife.