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Late September provides an abundance of last-of-the-season heirloom tomatoes, so get them while you can, or hold your peace for another year.
These beauties truthfully need little other than salt, accompanying bread and a glass of wine to appreciate their goodness, but should you want to savor their flavor further, may I recommend a simple Greek soup?
We adored this, and couldn’t wait for dinner to eat it, so gobbled it up for lunch. Suit yourself! Just make it.
Summer’s magnificent heirloom tomatoes add supreme flavor to a simple Greek tomato soup tamed by plain Greek yogurt.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic Paste (or 4 large garlic cloves, pressed or crushed)
- 2 3/4-3 pounds fresh organic heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced (or 3 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice)
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves on the stem
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Gourmet Garden Chile Pepper Paste (or large pinch red pepper flakes)
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (start with 1)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup cooked Orzo pasta (yes, cooked, not dry)
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (or Greek Kefalotyri)
Directions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, about 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to color slightly. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add tomatoes, broth, honey, bay leaves, basil and pepper paste. Stir and bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer on lowest heat for 30 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point.
- Remove bay leaves and basil stems/leaves, and then stick an immersion blender into the pot to puree the soup. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you may use a stand blender, but do it in 3 batches or you will risk scalding yourself. Hot liquids in the blender expand and can blow the top off if you overfill. Word to the wise.)
- Stir in the Greek yogurt, and then stir in the cooked orzo. (If you are making the soup ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator for a day or two, store the soup and orzo separately, or the orzo will soak up too much soup and get mushy.)
- Portion into bowls. Pass the grated cheese at the table for each person.
- Serves 4.
Notes
Recipe source: Adapted from Tara’s Multicultural Table, and she adapted it from Lemon and Olives.
I found this recipe on the blog Tara’s Multicultural Table, which was my assignment this past month for Secret Recipe Club. I was to quietly explore her blog and 
cook from it. Tough job, I know, but someone has to do it!
Tara is a late-20s stay-at-home mom with a young son and another bun in the oven. You’ll find Japanese, German, Italian, Greek, Dutch, Vietnamese, Syrian, Spanish, South African, Ethiopian, Korean (do I really need to list all the countries in the world?) recipes from this world traveler who was born in Japan. Her recipe index is organized by continent (Australia and Oceania, anyone?), and in case you didn’t get the drift, her logo is splashed with world flags.
All aboard for this culinary adventure!
I was sorely tempted by Irish Potato Cakes, Syrian Sugar Cookies (Ka’ak b’Sukar), Spinach, Mint and Pine Nut Savory Pastry, Spanakopita Puffs, and look at those gorgeous cinnamon wreaths. No really, go take a look. I plan to use that technique sometime this fall for a bread.
But with heirloom tomatoes so precious and fleeting, her Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo (Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki) won out. So glad it did! I made just a couple of tweaks to it, to suit myself.
Thanks, Tara, for a delicious month!
Meanwhile, browse the photo array below to see what else the Secret Recipe Club cooked up this month!
Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
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Yum Dorothy! This looks so good, and I’m glad to see so many options for ingredients!
Thanks Karen!
Oh this looks so comforting! Perfect way to use up the end of season tomatoes. I love greek food too. Reminds me of my trip there a few years ago. I would love to go back one day, but until then I’ll have to make some soup! Great pick!!!
Nicole,
Oh how I would love to visit Greece! Until then, this soup.
What a wonderful blog recommendation and recipe. Love a tomato soup in the winter! Great SRC post
Stephanie,
Thank you!
ALL my favourite ingredients in a bowl, what a great SRC pick!
Karen,
Thank you!
Every afternoon I go to my tiny garden and harvest fresh tomatoes. I’ve got a whole basket of them I need to use. I’m making tomato jam, but now I’m also making this soup. I love how it sounds!
Wimpy/Susan,
Now you have ME wanting to make tomato jam!
What a delicious looking soup Dorothy! I have to make this recipe ASAP 🙂
Oh good, Avril! Let me know how you like it!
I love tomato soup. This one sounds delicious! Great pick this month 🙂
Thanks Melissa!
I am a huge tomato soup fan. This looks so good and perfect timing with the weather getting a bit chilly. Happy Reveal Day!!
Emily,
It was 90+ degrees here last week, but suddenly, on the first day of Fall, it is soup weather!
I have been craving Tomato Soup with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich for days!! Delicious!
Lynn,
Gotcha covered!
Ooh, I love tomato soup and I love orzo (I usually use it in pasta salads) so I bet I’d love the two things combined. Sounds and looks so fantastic- great choice for SRC!
Thanks Amy! You will love this one!
Sounds awesome… fresh tomatoes make EVERYTHING amazing!!
Jess you are RIGHT!
Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki, Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki, Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki – yes, let’s say it three times fast… 🙂
Perfect recipe for cooler evenings…. I can eat that while I shed tears for the end of summer…
Sally,
I am right there with you crying. I love summer!
So glad you enjoyed it! This is a new favorite of ours.
Tara,
Oh yes, we sure did!
Mmm… definitely saving this one to try – PERFECT for the upcoming cooler fall weather!!
Rebekah,
You MUST make it!
I adore soup with orzo. It’s so hearty but also light. This looks amazing!
Kim,
You’re right…somehow orzo doesn’t seem like a heavy pasta.
Tomato season is so short. I wonder how this soup would be if you froze it to have in the winter when you are jonesing for some fresh tomatoes?
Wendy,
I say try it!
I love tomato soup, as long as it’s homemade, I cant stand that canned stuff. Yours looks like it turned out really tasty, and I’m intrigued by the addition of honey. Happy Reveal Day!
April,
The honey adds just a tiny touch of sweet.
I’m not much of a soup person but this does sound good! I like that it has orzo.
Lauren,
The orzo is a light addition, so doesn’t weigh you down.
Fruiticana,
Funny! Thanks!
Desserts/Betsy,
Yep, get your rump in gear, girl!