When we’re overflowing with tomatoes, this roasted tomato soup with garlic and basil is our go-to. Roasting transforms the tomatoes, making them incredibly sweet and flavorful (it’s the perfect way to use them). We roast our tomatoes in a hot oven for half an hour. Then, we blend them with a few simple ingredients to create one of our favorite soups!
Key Ingredients
Fresh tomatoes: Use whatever you’ve got! Roasting concentrates the flavor, making this soup great for using less-than-perfect tomatoes. In the summer, I love a mix of heirlooms, cherry, and plum tomatoes for extra sweetness. For a recipe using canned tomatoes, try our popular three ingredient tomato soup (delicious!) Onion and Garlic: Roast these alongside the tomatoes. Roasted garlic adds a delicious richness, while the onion becomes sweet and tender. Broth: For a vegetarian option, choose veggie broth. You can also use your favorite chicken broth or stock. For even more tomato flavor, try homemade tomato broth. Fresh basil: It wouldn’t be tomato basil soup without it! Blend in a generous cup of fresh basil leaves for that classic flavor. For another tomato-basil recipe, try our fresh tomato bruschetta. Cream and butter: These make a smooth and creamy texture. I like just 1/4 cup of cream (enough to balance the acidity without being too rich). (See the recipe notes for vegan options!)
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
To make the best roasted tomato soup, we roast fresh tomatoes, quartered onions, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. The tomatoes soften, burst, and release their delicious juices. When the tomatoes have finished roasting, we transfer everything to a soup pot with some broth and a couple of tablespoons of butter. The soup simmers for about half an hour. Then, we blend it with fresh basil until it’s rich and creamy. A splash of cream at the end makes our soup extra creamy and balances the tomatoes’ acidity. And that’s it, our easy, homemade roasted tomato soup! We love it and hope you try it soon. Do you love roasted tomatoes as much as I do? We’ve also shared these sweet garlic roasted tomatoes, a fantastic side dish!
What to Serve with Roasted Tomato Soup
It’s impossible to serve this soup without grilled cheese sandwiches in our house (Adam’s request!). I also love dunking crusty bread, garlic focaccia bread, or freshly made garlic bread into it. You can also top this soup with croutons, store-bought or homemade. Salads are great with soup. Try our favorite Greek salad, this good-for-you quinoa salad, or our easy tomato salad. For some sandwich options, try this vegetarian-friendly smashed chickpea sandwich. I also love tuna salad sandwiches and this avocado egg salad sandwich. 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 1/3 cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth 2 tablespoons butter Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for a bit of heat 1 cup fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup heavy cream, see our tips for using non-dairy or lower fat milk 2Cherry or grape tomatoes can be left whole. For larger tomatoes, core and cut them into halves, or if they are large, cut them into quarters. 3Spread the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet (see notes for pan suggestions). Pour over the olive oil, and then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Toss well. 4Roast the tomatoes until they soften, burst, and release some of their juices, 20 to 30 minutes. Some tomatoes will be caramelized and brown in spots. 2Stir in the broth, butter, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using), and then bring to a simmer. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes. 3Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves, and then blend the soup until smooth. An immersion blender is the easiest, or you can use a blender. When using a regular blender, work in smaller batches, and don’t fill it too high – hot soup expands! For safety, remove the lid’s center insert and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending. This releases steam and prevents messy splatters. 4Taste the soup, and then add salt and pepper until the flavor pops — it should make you smile. Finally, stir in the cream and serve.
