Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I didn’t grow up eating homemade tomato soup. For us, it came from a can—you know the one. We’d heat it up on the stove and eat it with grilled cheese sandwiches on rainy afternoons.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I tried roasting tomatoes before turning them into soup, and I couldn’t believe what I’d been missing. Roasting brings out all the natural sweetness in the tomatoes and gives the soup a deep, rich flavor that canned soup just can’t match. Plus, it’s actually easier than you might think—you just toss everything on a baking sheet and let the oven do the work.

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What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use?

For roasted tomato soup, ripe plum or Roma tomatoes are your best bet since they have fewer seeds and more flesh, which means a thicker, richer soup. That said, any ripe tomato variety will work – beefsteak, heirloom, or even vine-ripened tomatoes from your garden are all great options. The key is making sure they’re fully ripe and red, as underripe tomatoes can make your soup taste a bit acidic or bland. If you’re making this outside of peak tomato season, don’t hesitate to use canned whole peeled tomatoes instead – they’re picked and canned at their ripest, so they’ll actually give you better flavor than sad winter tomatoes from the store.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Vine tomatoes: You can use Roma tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or even cherry tomatoes instead. If using cherry tomatoes, just halve them instead of quartering. In a pinch, two 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes work too – just drain them well before roasting.
• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth makes a fine substitute if that’s what you have on hand. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half, whole milk, or even coconut cream can replace heavy cream. For a dairy-free version, cashew cream works nicely too.
• Fresh basil: While fresh basil really makes this soup shine, you can use more dried basil if needed – just add an extra teaspoon at the end of cooking.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or even a squeeze of lemon juice can provide that tangy brightness if you’re out of balsamic.
• Sweet onion: Yellow or white onions work just fine here. The soup will be slightly less sweet but equally good.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when roasting tomatoes is crowding them on the baking sheet, which causes them to steam instead of caramelize – spread them out in a single layer with plenty of space between each piece to get those sweet, concentrated flavors.

Don’t forget to squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins before blending, as leaving the papery skins in will create an unpleasant texture in your finished soup.

When blending hot soup, always start on the lowest speed and gradually increase it while venting the lid slightly, or let the soup cool for a few minutes first – hot liquid expands quickly and can cause dangerous splatters if you blend too aggressively.

For a smoother, restaurant-quality texture, strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve after blending, which removes any remaining seeds or skin bits that the blender might have missed.

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What to Serve With Roasted Tomato Soup?

A good grilled cheese is always my go-to with roasted tomato soup – try using a combination of sharp cheddar and gruyere on crusty bread for the best dipping experience. If you want something a bit lighter, a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the soup nicely. I also love serving this soup with toasted baguette slices rubbed with garlic, or even some buttery garlic knots on the side. For a heartier meal, add a Caesar salad or some roasted vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers to round out your dinner.

Storage Instructions

Store: This roasted tomato soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. I actually think it tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together. Just wait until it cools down completely before putting it away.

Freeze: You can definitely freeze this soup for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in individual portions so I can grab just what I need for lunch. If you added the cream, it might separate a bit when thawed, but a quick stir or blend will bring it right back together.

Reheat: Warm it up gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave it in a bowl on medium power. If you froze it without the cream, you can add that fresh when you reheat for the best texture and flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 500-600
• Protein: 10-14 g
• Fat: 44-56 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

For roasting:

• 4 lb ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 garlic head, cloves separated (skins on)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

For the soup base:

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

To finish:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

Step 1: Roast the Tomatoes and Garlic

• 4 lb ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 garlic head, cloves separated (skins on)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the quartered tomatoes on the baking sheet, then scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves among them.

Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic, then use your hands to evenly coat everything.

Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper.

Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are very soft and begin to caramelize around the edges.

Step 2: Sauté the Onions and Herbs

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a dutch oven over medium heat.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until it shimmers.

Add the diced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6–7 minutes.

Sprinkle in the dried basil and oregano, then continue sautéing for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 3: Deglaze and Simmer the Broth

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

Pour in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.

Allow the vinegar to bubble and reduce by half.

Add the vegetable broth and the sprig of fresh thyme, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors infuse.

Turn off the burner and remove the thyme sprig, shaking it to release any leaves into the pot.

Step 4: Combine and Blend the Soup

• roasted tomatoes from Step 1
• roasted garlic from Step 1
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

Once the roasted tomatoes and garlic are ready, carefully remove the garlic cloves from the pan and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Squeeze the roasted garlic from their skins into the soup pot.

Add the roasted tomatoes as well.

Optional: pour in the heavy cream for extra richness, and add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot until smooth, adding extra broth if you want a thinner consistency.

I like to add a little extra basil at this point for a fresher taste.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

• additional fresh basil (from ‘1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving’)

Ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Garnish each serving with additional fresh basil if desired and serve immediately.

For storage, keep leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Delicious Roasted Tomato Basil Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 32 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients

  

For roasting:

• 4 lb ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 garlic head, cloves separated (skins on)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

For the soup base:

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

To finish:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the quartered tomatoes on the baking sheet, then scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves among them. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic, then use your hands to evenly coat everything. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are very soft and begin to caramelize around the edges.
• While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the diced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6–7 minutes. Sprinkle in the dried basil and oregano, then continue sautéing for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
• Pour in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Allow the vinegar to bubble and reduce by half. Add the vegetable broth and the sprig of fresh thyme, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors infuse. Turn off the burner and remove the thyme sprig, shaking it to release any leaves into the pot.
• Once the roasted tomatoes and garlic are ready, carefully remove the garlic cloves from the pan and let cool for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the roasted garlic from their skins into the soup pot. Add the roasted tomatoes as well. Optional: pour in the heavy cream for extra richness, and add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot until smooth, adding extra broth if you want a thinner consistency. I like to add a little extra basil at this point for a fresher taste.
• Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with additional fresh basil if desired and serve immediately. For storage, keep leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.