The Vegan Tomato Fennel Soup will impress you (and your S.O.) with creaminess, sweetness, aroma, and subtle anise flavors. And yet, this soup is made without cream, cheese, sugar, sweeteners or substitutes. Not a dollop, not a pinch. Try this luscious easy Vegan Tomato Fennel soup! It's perfect as an appetizer or light lunch. Before you start, note that we roast tomatoes until they are soft, but not burned. To intensify sweetness, we finish the pureed tomatoes on the stove. Do you agree that soups should be light and flavorful without dairy fat or sugars? What is your favorite tomato soup?
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. (I place aluminum foil underneath to reduce cleanup.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, fennel, oil, shallots, garlic, thyme and salt. Then arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the baking pan. Cover tightly with the aluminum foil and roast for 15 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue roasting for 45 – 60 minutes, checking to ensure the tomatoes and fennel are not burning. If you see browning, stir the vegetables.
The vegetables are ready when the fennel is soft and the tomatoes have just begun to brown. Let cool and dice the fennel.
Scrape the tomatoes, shallots, and juices and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add basil and 1/2 cup broth and puree until smooth or chunky (as desired for your Vegan Tomato Fennel Soup). Add more broth if needed. Depending on the juiciness of your tomatoes, you may need less than 2-3 cups of broth.
Transfer the pureed vegetables to a saucepan and combine with the diced fennel. Bring to gentle boil on medium/low heat, stirring. Reduce to low and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring. (Note: Simmer for another 10 minutes if your tomatoes did not fully cook in the oven. Longer simmering helps caramelize the tomatoes.) Ladle the Vegan Tomato Fennel Soup into your favorite bowls.
Servings 0