Creamy Ranch Tomato Soup
BellaFina™ peppers may be used to create a wide variety of recipes, from appetizers to main dishes. BellaFina™ peppers are often used in salads, vegetables trays with or without dip, cooked in stews and sauces and stuffed with meat, cheese and grains.
Ingredients:
8 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
6-8 red BellaFina peppers, quartered and seeded
1 medium onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Light Dressing
Instructions:
Yield: 4-6 servings
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Roast the tomatoes. On a sheet pan, gently toss together the tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the tomatoes and red peppers, skin side up, tucking the garlic bits beneath them and bake until lightly charred, 45 to 50 minutes.
Build the soup. In a soup pot, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste and mix well, cooking until it’s a deeper red than when you started, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and pepper mixture, including the juices, and combine. Stir in the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender* (or use hand-held immersion blender) and pulse in small batches that reach only about a third to halfway up the side of the jar. When blending start slow then increase the speed to puree the ingredients until smooth. Use a separate bowl to hold the blended soup and then return it all to the pot.
Stir in the Hidden Valley®. While whisking, slowly add the Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Light Dressing until combined. Serve warm.
Notes
*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Adapted from foodnetwork.com