Soups

September 23, 2021

Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons

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Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons is an end-of-summer, transition-into-fall creamy, flavorful soup, just right for the cooler, shorter days of early autumn.

By mid-September, I’m usually up to my elbows in garden-fresh tomatoes. To stay on top the harvest, I’m usually eating tomatoes every day, preserving them for the year ahead, and still have more than I can handle. Roasted tomato soup is a great way to use a large amount of tomatoes, and this version adds warming Indian-cuisine-inspired spices for a flavorful twist on a classic. 

And what other classic pairs with a creamy tomato soup? Grilled cheese, of course. But here, I’m skipping the bread and going straight for the cheese. Crispy, golden-fried paneer, in keeping with the Indian cuisine inspiration behind this soup. Paneer is a mild and tender, yet firm, cheese that doesn’t melt when cooked. It retains its shape, and stands up to frying, making these fried paneer cubes perfect croutons to garnish this soup. 

Whether you’re trying to use up your own garden bounty of fresh summer tomatoes, or gathering up beautiful local fruits at the farmer’s market, Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons is a delicious way to kick off soup season and embrace the changing seasons.

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Ingredients assembled for Indian Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons
Assemble your ingredients.

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Stages of roasting tomatoes, onions, and garlic in coconut oil and spices
Roast tomatoes, onions, and garlic coated in coconut oil and spices until soft.

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Pureeing the roasted tomatoes
Puree the roasted vegetables using an immersion blender. Then add baking soda and stir until foaming subsides. Add the coconut milk and heat through.

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Stages of frying the paneer cubes
While the tomatoes are roasting, make the paneer croutons. Toss cubed paneer in melted coconut oil and spices. Fry in batches until golden on both sides.

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Indian Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup topped with Paneer Croutons served in stoneware bowls with handles
Serve Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup topped with Paneer Croutons, and enjoy!

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Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons

Indian-Spiced Roasted Tomato Soup with Paneer Croutons is an end-of-summer, transition-into-fall creamy, flavorful soup, just right for the cooler, shorter days of early autumn.

Author:

Kira Freed - The Joyful Plateful

Prep:

10

min

cook:

50

min

total:

60

min

Print It

Ingredients

For soup: 

4 pounds fresh tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion

6 cloves garlic

3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

1 Tbsp. garam masala

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk


For Paneer Croutons:

12 oz. paneer

2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with some of the melted coconut oil, and set aside. 
  2. Prepare tomatoes by removing the stem, and roughly chopping into large pieces. Remove skin from onion, and chop into large chunks. Peel garlic cloves. Place prepared tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves into the baking dish. 
  3. Toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with remaining melted coconut oil to coat. Toss the oil-coated vegetables with the spices: garam masala, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. 
  4. Roast the tomato mixture at 425 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and just beginning to develop roasted color. 
  5. While the tomatoes roast, make the paneer croutons. Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes. Toss the paneer cubes with melted coconut oil, then the turmeric and salt to coat. 
  6. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry half the paneer cubes. Fry until they are golden brown on each side, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer fried paneer to a dish to hold while you repeat with the remaining paneer cubes. Set fried paneer aside. 
  7. Once tomatoes are roasted, remove the baking dish from the oven. Carefully transfer the roasted tomato mixture to a large pot. Use am immersion blender to puree the tomato mixture until very smooth. (Or, blend the tomato mixture in batches in a blender, and transfer pureed mixture to a pot to finish.)
  8. Once the tomato mixture is pureed in the pot, place it on the stove on low heat to keep warm. Add the baking soda, and stir until the foaming subsides. 
  9. Add the can of coconut milk to the tomato puree, and stir to combine. Let the soup heat through for about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding a pinch more salt if needed. 
  10. Serve soup hot, ladled into bowls, and topped with fried paneer cubes. 

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Hi there, I’m Kira!

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