Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut any large tomatoes into quarters. Cut medium tomatoes into halves and leave any cherry or grape tomatoes whole. Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet with any cut sides facing up. Cut peeled shallots into quarters and nestle amongst tomatoes. Stick garlic cloves into juicy spots of tomatoes or nestle them between cut tomatoes like the shallots (just to avoid burnt and bitter garlic).
Scatter thyme leaves on top of tomatoes. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes, shallots and garlic. Season everything with salt and pepper and slide the tray into the oven. Roast for about an hour, or until the tomatoes have shrivelled up a bit and the shallots are soft. Let cool slightly.
In batches, blend the roasted tomatoes with the soaked and drained cashews, tomato paste, basil, and vegetable stock until you have a smooth purée. Pour blended soup into a large pot.
Once you've blended everything, including the accumulated juices in the baking sheet, add the balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, check it for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve the soup hot with extra basil and olive oil drizzles.
Equipment
Blender
Recipe Notes
To make with canned tomatoes, use two 28-oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes. Extract the tomatoes, saving the liquid, and blot off excess moisture. Quarter them and roast the same way, checking at the 30-minute mark. Add the reserved liquid from the cans when blending.
Creamy vegan tomato soup made with slow oven-roasted tomatoes, soaked cashews, fresh basil, and balsamic. Blended smooth and deeply flavored. A late summer recipe that's worth the time!