Roasted Summer Vegetable Soup

I know soup isn't the likeliest candidate for a meal during the summer.  And perhaps less so when you need to use the oven for this recipe.  But this is still worth it.  Roasting vegetables gives so much great flavor and this soup is full of them.  This is one of my new favorite soups.  I was licking my bowl clean afterwards (no shame).  There's a little work involved but it's not hard - chop up the veggies, cook them in the oven and then blend them with some broth.  It makes a very thick, delicious, and healthy soup.  Adding some good bread and a salad on the side is my favorite way to serve this!

Instead of roasting, I imagine the vegetables could also be grilled (I would cut the vegetables in larger chunks if you do that), which would save you from heating your house.  Next time I might try that -- and maybe even be in charge of the grill myself!

As I was typing this blog post, I had to immediately add this soup back on our menu plan because it's just so good!

Roasted Summer Vegetable Soup
Taken from: Kitchenaid (via Girl vs. Dough)
Serves 4

• 4 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered and seeded (I didn't have on hand so I added a 14-oz can of diced tomatoes at the end instead)
• 2 medium zucchini, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 yellow or white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (I forgot to add this)
• handful of fresh basil, chopped (optional but recommended)
• Optional: Sour cream, Greek yogurt crème fraiche, for serving (I omitted)

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. 
2. Place the prepared vegetables, thyme leaves or dried thyme, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and lightly toss. (I used canned diced tomatoes and I did not include them in the roasting.)
3. Bake the vegetables 40-50 minutes, stirring once halfway through until roasted, tender and caramelized.
4. Transfer the vegetables, garlic and thyme to a blender (this is where I added the diced tomatoes.) You could also use a hand blender as well. Add the vegetable or chicken broth, smoked paprika, chopped basil, and more salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.  You could add more broth if you want it a little thinner.
5. Pour the soup into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until heated through.
6. Serve in bowls.  If using, top with a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt or crème fraiche.