Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

I pinned this soup and loved the idea!  It sounded so creamy and delicious.  Then I looked at the recipe and realized it was made with campbells tomato soup.  I thought if I was going to make a soup I wanted to really make it myself!  Then I remembered seeing this Roasted Tomato Basil soup and decided to go this direction!  I switched out 2 cups of the veggie broth for skim milk to make it creamy and kept the rest the same.  Be prepared, the tomatoes take about 45 minutes to roast.  If you don't have time you can skip that step, but it really deepens the flavor!  It was so indulgent while still being healthy!  We loved it!

Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup
adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

2 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste, for seasoning tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 cup freshly chopped basil
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth)
2 cups skim milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

9 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes.

In a large stockpot, heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, fresh basil, vegetable broth, & milk. Stir in the oven roasted tomatoes. Cook for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the stockpot, or transfer soup to a blender to blend (took me 2 batches). The soup should be smooth, with a few tomato chunks. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add frozen tortellini and cook 3-5 minutes (per package directions).  Serve warm.