I’ve tried a few recipes for Roasted Tomato Basil Soup over the years and they never quite hit the mark… I always end up tweaking the recipes just a smidge. So I thought I should just create one that I find totally balanced in flavor. Viola- here we are, the Perfect Tomato Basil Soup Recipe. It’s tomato forward with a heavy dose of fresh basil, it’s tart with sweetness to balance. You are going to love it!!
If you are thinking to yourself… I’m not roasting tomatoes to make soup. Then you want to check out this Crazy Easy Tomato Basil Soup, you won’t even believe how easy it is.
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Ingredient Details
Vine ripened tomatoes – Buy the ones at the store that are literally still on the vine. They have amazing flavor! Or better yet, pop out to your garden and grab a few tomatoes. Plum or Roma tomatoes can also make a good choice.
Yellow onion and garlic – Make sure you very finely chop the onions, that way they puree down in the soup well. Add the garlic after the onions have softened, that way they don’t burn and you will have a more pronounced garlic flavor.
Kosher salt, onion powder, dried basil, oregano – This is the perfect seasoning combo for this soup! Adds flavor without masking the tomato and fresh basil.
Sugar – Don’t skip the sugar! It is needed to balance the acidic tartness from the tomatoes. It is just enough to make the flavor right. However, taste the soup at the end and make sure you don’t need more sugar. If you have tomatoes that aren’t quite ripe you may want more sugar.
Chicken broth – If you want to make this soup vegetarian you can opt for a veggie broth.
Fresh basil – You will use 2 cups of fresh basil for the soup! It is just enough to infuse flavor through the whole soup. If you grow summer basil, this is a great recipe for the end of the summer when you have more than you know what to do with – and you have already had pesto 5000 times.
Heavy cream – Just ¾ cup of heavy cream blends all the flavors perfectly and give the soup a silkiness.
Crushed tomatoes – You have two options for this soup; crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes. I have tried the soup with both. I prefer the crushed tomatoes as I think they add a better texture and weight to the soup, but the whole peeled worked just fine!
Mom’s Tip
Since tomato is one of the main flavors in this soup, buy the best canned tomatoes you can afford at the store. This is not the time for best choice, always save or store brand – save those for chili.
Tips for Roasting Tomatoes
I have two tips for making sure your tomatoes are roasting and not steaming. You want to develop the sugars and get a little caramelization around the edges, that is FLAVOR DEVELOPMENT!
- Lightly de-seed the tomatoes by cutting them in half or quarters and lightly squeezing out the seed/liquid pockets. If you leave that excess liquid in the tomato it will evaporate and create steam, preventing the tomatoes from roasting.
- Don’t over crowd the sheet pan. You want the heat to be able to circulate around the tomatoes without creating too much steam. So if you need to divide the tomatoes into two pans, definitely do that!
How To Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Step 1
Clean, cut and lightly de-seed the tomatoes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and kosher salt. Roast for 45 mins.
Step 2
Soften finely diced onions. Add the garlic, seasonings and herbs, the roasted tomatoes and collected juices.
Step 3
Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes and basil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Puree by your preferred method, to the texture you like.
Step 5
Add heavy cream, let warm through for 5 minutes.
Serving – Side Dishes
You already know what I’m going to say…GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH! There isn’t a more classic combo than tomato soup and grilled cheese. Now if you can’t do the grilled cheese, another great option is crusty warm bread or garlic bread and a side salad.
Big crusty seasoned croutons also make a great addition to this soup. Here is how you whip up a batch:
Homemade Croutons for Serving
- 3 cups thick cut bread – cubed (see notes)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the bread with all the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on all the herbs & seasonings. Roast for 5 minutes. Toss. Then roast another 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy, but not burnt.
Storing
This Tomato Basil Soup will be good in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you don’t add the cream you can store it even longer in the freezer, up to 6 months. Then when you thaw or warm, add the cream and heat through.
Recipe Tips To Remember
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet with tomatoes, they will steam instead of roast. Use two pans in needed.
- Lightly de-seed the tomatoes before roasting.
- Finely chop the onions so they will puree down in the soup.
- Taste before serving to see if you need to add more sugar. Tomatoes will have varying sweetness at different times of year.
FAQ’s
Do I need to peel my tomatoes for Tomato Basil Soup? That is a hard no for me. After the tomatoes roast the skin is soft and charred on the edges (flavor!). They puree down perfectly. BUT if you feel like you still don’t want the tomato skin/peel in your soup, the skin will easily pull off the tomatoes after roasting.
What tomatoes are best for Tomato Basil Soup? I like to buy vine ripened tomatoes at the store because I find they are usually the most flavorful, year round. But Roma/Plum tomatoes can be found year round as well and make a good option.
More Soup Recipes
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs vine ripened tomatoes - halved or quartered lightly deseeded
- 1 large yellow onion - finely chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil - divided
- 2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt - divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes - canned, good quality
- 2 cups fresh basil - chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Roasting Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Place the cut and lightly deseeded tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle on ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Toss with clean hands.3 lbs vine ripened tomatoes
- Roast in the oven for 45 minutes.
Assembly – Making Tomato Basil Soup
- Meanwhile in a large pot add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot add the onions and sauté for 10-15 minutes, it's ok if they start to turn golden around the edges. Add the garlic and sauté 2 more mins.1 large yellow onion, 5-6 cloves garlic
- Pour in the roasted tomatoes and all collected juices, sugar, seasonings, and 2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir around the pot.½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried basil, 1 ½ tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pour in the chicken broth, entire can of tomatoes and chopped basil, stir. Simmer for 20 minutes.3 cups chicken broth, 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups fresh basil
- With an immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency. Alternately transfer lightly cooled soup in batches to a blender to puree, be careful blending hot liquid in a closed blender.
- Pour in the cream, stir and heat through for another 5 minutes on low.¾ cup heavy cream
- Taste for additional seasonings (salt, sugar, pepper). Depending how sweet the tomatoes are, I will sometimes add a little more sugar at this point.
- Time to eat. Goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Storing / Freezing
- Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- This can also be frozen, don't add the cream, let it cool and freeze for up to 6 months. When reheating add the cream and warm through.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet with tomatoes, they will steam instead of roast.
- Use two pans in needed.
- Lightly de-seed the tomatoes before roasting.
- Finely chop the onions so they will puree down in the soup.
- Taste before serving to see if you need to add more sugar. Tomatoes will have varying sweetness at different times of year.
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