Roasting the tomatoes and garlic brings out a deep, savory flavor, allowing us to use less salt and save 450mg sodium per serving over traditional tomato soup. For speedier prep, use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 400°.
Working with 1 beefsteak tomato at a time, squeeze halves into a bowl; reserve seeds and juice. Arrange garlic and tomatoes, cut sides down, in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; coat with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until tomatoes are lightly charred. Reserve juices.
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add rice; sauté 1 minute or until toasted. Add reserved tomato juices, tomato mixture, stock, canned tomatoes, and salt to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
Place half of soup mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup mixture. Stir in half-and-half and pepper. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.
Chef's Notes
MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov
Will make over & over!