Still cold, still making lots of soup to warm us up! This one features tomatoes, both canned crushed ones and roasted cherry tomatoes. And it is delicious! Tomato soup is our go-to for a quick Winter lunch. This version far surpasses anything we have gotten out of a can. The secret to this soup is (naturally) the roasted tomatoes and feta cheese.

Roasting the cherry tomatoes concentrates their flavor. The sugars in the tomatoes caramelize, increasing their sweetness and adding depth to the soup. That depth is what sets this tomato soup apart from others. Along with the roasted feta, of course.

The specialty grocery store down the street has a brand of Greek feta cheese that we are partial to and thus, keep on hand at all times. The roasted feta adds the warm, luscious creaminess to this soup. Feta cheese gets soft in the oven, but it does not melt due to its relatively high acid content. The tang of acidity from the feta balances out the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes and makes for a glorious soup!

Baked Tomato & Feta Soup (adapted from feelgoodfoodie.net) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 8-ounce block feta, plus more, crumbled for garnish
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juices
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup orzo

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined. Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish surrounded by the cherry tomatoes and flip it a couple times to coat it with the olive oil and seasoning.

Bake the tomatoes and feta, uncovered, in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst, and the feta cheese softens.

While the feta is baking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season them with salt, pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes.

Add the garlic, canned tomatoes, stock, and thyme. Let it gently simmer until the tomatoes in the oven are done roasting.

Once the tomatoes and feta in the oven are done, transfer them to the simmering pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add the basil.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and add the orzo. Simmer the soup until the orzo is fully cooked, 7-8 minutes.

Serve the soup with more crumbled feta, basil, and black pepper and some crusty bread along side it.

This is definitely a Repeat Often Recipe!  ~Linda

Baked Tomato & Feta Soup (adapted from feelgoodfoodie.net) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 50 minutes, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 8-ounce block feta, plus more, crumbled for garnish
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juices
• 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup orzo

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.

Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish surrounded by the cherry tomatoes and flip it a couple times to coat it with the olive oil and seasoning.

Bake the tomatoes and feta in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst, and the feta cheese softens.

While the feta is baking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season them with salt, pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Add the garlic, canned tomatoes, stock, and thyme. Let it gently simmer until the tomatoes in the oven are done roasting.

Once the tomatoes and feta in the oven are done, transfer them to the simmering pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add the basil. Bring the soup back to a simmer and add the orzo. Simmer the soup until the orzo is fully cooked, 7-8 minutes. Serve the soup with more crumbled feta, basil, and black pepper and some crusty bread along side it.