Tomato Basil Soup

By Maria Lichty

Updated April 06, 2021

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This classic Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is made with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic. Serve a grilled cheese on the side for the ultimate comforting meal!

A Favorite Soup

Is there anything better than a bowl of tomato basil soup? It’s one of my all-time favorites! It always hits the spot.  It has fresh, familiar flavors that are universally loved. 

Bring a pot of this Roasted Tomato Basil Soup and grilled cheese ingredients to someone who needs a little cheering up! They’ll be instantly comforted and nourished…just don’t forget to make a double batch so you have enough for yourself, too! 

This soup is great for lunch or dinner and always gets rave reviews! 

Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup

Use ripe, fresh tomatoes for the best flavor. I love making this soup when garden tomatoes are at their peak. I recommend using Roma or plum tomatoes because they have a meaty texture with very few seeds and have a low water content.

For this recipe, I use three pounds of fresh tomatoes AND a can of San Marzano tomatoes. I like using both for the ultimate tomato flavor. San Marzano tomatoes are sweet and less acidic. The combo of fresh and the best canned tomatoes is perfection! 

How to Roast Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes is a really simple way to add a delicious depth of flavor to your soup.

• Wash and halve the tomatoes. You don’t have to peel the tomatoes, the tomato skins will intensify the flavor of the soup. 
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the halved tomatoes on top. I also put fresh garlic cloves on the sheet. You don’t need to peel the garlic cloves, you will peel them after. Roasting the garlic brings out the best flavor. 
• Drizzle olive oil over the top of the tomatoes and garlic. Toss to combine then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Roast at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. The tomatoes will become soft, juicy, and fragrant! Your house will smell amazing! 

How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Once the tomatoes are roasted, your soup will come together in a snap!

• Start with a large stockpot and medium heat. Get a little olive oil warmed, then add chopped onion and sauté until it’s tender. This should only take 3-5 minutes!
• Add the roasted garlic (skins removed and roughly chopped) and red pepper flakes. Add everything else: roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes, broth, basil, and thyme. Start with 1 ½ cups of broth and if the soup is too thick after blending, you can always add more.
• Let it all simmer for 30 minutes.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your ideal consistency. Add additional broth if you want a thinner consistency.

Blend the Soup

If you have an immersion blender, that’s the easiest and quickest way to blend the soup because you can blend it right in the pot. A blender or food processor works great, too! Make sure you let the soup cool a bit before moving it into the blender!

Carefully transfer the soup into a blender and pulse until it becomes smooth. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender. 

Tasty Variations

There are a few variations you can consider to really make this tomato soup your own! You may want to add:

• A splash of heavy cream or coconut milk for a creamy tomato soup
• A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or feta cheese on top
• Add cooked crumbled bacon or pancetta to your bowl
• A drizzle of good olive oil before serving 
• Croutons or crackers 
• Garnish with fresh basil, chives, parsley, or thyme. 

Tomato Soup + Grilled Cheese!

In my opinion, you can’t have a bowl of Roasted Tomato Basil Soup without a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. The two are made for each other. I love dunking grilled cheese into a hot bowl of tomato soup. Classic comfort food! Here’s one of my favorite grilled cheese recipes – Roast Broccoli Grilled Cheese.

More Recipes To Try With This Tomato Soup:

• Easy Green Salad
• Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
• Summer Arugula Salad
• Broccoli Cheddar Fritters
• Garlic Bread
• Easy Cornbread

Store + Reheat

Place any leftover soup in a container and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. 

You can also freeze the soup for up to four months. Pour the cooled soup into a freezer container and freeze for up to three months. Defrost and reheat before serving. 

More Soup Recipes

• Minestrone Soup
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• Easy Black Bean Soup

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Soup

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

You can't go wrong with a bowl of this classic tomato soup! Serve with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal.

4.67 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes, canned
• 1 ½ to 2 cups vegetable broth (can use chicken broth)
• 1 cup freshly chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the halved tomatoes and garlic cloves on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 45 minutes until tomatoes are soft and juicy.
  
• Remove the roasted garlic from the peels give them a rough chop. Set aside.
• In a large stockpot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the canned tomatoes, 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth, basil, and thyme. Stir in the oven roasted tomatoes. Let simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  
• Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the stockpot until smooth. If the soup is too thick for your taste, you can add additional broth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the soup cool for a few minutes and then carefully transfer to a food processor or blender to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.
  

Notes

Be careful when transferring hot soup to a blender or food processor. You may want to wait until it is at room temperature to blend.

Nutrition

Calories: 183kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 423mg, Potassium: 980mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 2526IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 3mg

Keywords healthy, summer

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Photos by Molly, Yes to Yolks.

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