Roasted Tomato, Squash, and Coconut Milk Bisque

Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold, rainy (or snowy) day. Though I like tomato soup, I can usually only eat small bowls of the stuff, as it tends to upset my stomach.

That is why I was so intrigued when I found this recipe. Using coconut milk makes it dairy free, and roasting the tomatoes and squash brings out their natural sweetness (even with out of season tomatoes!), making it at least seem less acidic. The addition of freshly graded ginger also adds a lovely twist. The result was a killer soup worthy of any grilled cheese sandwich. Winter smacked us in the face this week, so stay warm everyone! 

As always, I will be submitting this recipe to Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sundays!

Roasted Tomato, Squash, and Coconut Milk Bisque

Ingredients

10-12 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

4 cups winter squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

Pinch of cayenne pepper (1/8 teaspoon-more or less depending on taste)

1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub oil over both sides of the tomatoes. Place the squash on another baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub oil over all sides of the squash. Roast the tomatoes and squash for 30 minutes, carefully flipping the squash halfway through. The tomatoes should be shriveling but not bursting and the squash should look nicely browned.

Chop the onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. When the tomatoes and squash are almost done, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and cayenne, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, squash, coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until squash is very soft. Taste and add salt if needed.

Let soup cool slightly and puree until very smooth with a stick blender or in batches with a countertop blender. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon if soup needs a little brightness. Serve immediately or let cool and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Source: adapted from Eat Your Greens