Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

July 27, 2022  ·  Published August 1, 2015

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Is there a soup that says summer like a homemade roasted tomato basil soup does? In this version we oven roast the tomatoes, onions and garlic for more depth of flavor and it really makes the soup over-the-top delicious!

Serving of tomato basil soup shown close up in a white bowl with a grilled cheese to the side.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

This is how you do comfort food. A vibrant, healthy soup with a grilled cheese to accompany it.

This soup will likely become a highlight of summer dinners, and it’s a great way to use all those garden fresh tomatoes.

It requires minimal ingredients but yields such amazing results! The key ingredients include several pounds of gorgeously red ripe tomatoes, lots of flavorful fresh basil, and a fair amount of garlic for a perfectly fresh tasting soup.

Though there may be several steps the process is quite simple. You roast the tomatoes and aromatics, then simmer the soup on the stove, and finish by blitzing it all together with immersion blender. And then you’ve got yourself an undeniably delicious homemade tomato basil soup!

Want to make it creamy? Simply add 1/2 cup to 1 cup cream to the soup at the end. And feel free to toss in some parmesan cheese too if you can’t resist.

White pot filled with roasted tomato basil soup on a green cloth.

Tomato Basil Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 lbs Roma tomatoes , halved lengthwise
  • 1 1/4 lbs grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
  • 4 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8 cloves garlic , peeled and left whole
  • 2 small yellow onions, sliced just under 1/2-inch thick
  • 2 cups (28g) lightly packed fresh basil, divided
  • 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • Prepared grilled cheese or grilled cheese croutons (optional), see notes

Ingredients needed to make tomato basil soup.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 3 Tbsp olive oil then season with salt and pepper (place Roma halves cut side upright).
  2. Place onion slices and garlic on a rimmed half sheet and toss brush with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on all sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Place baking sheet with tomatoes and half sheet with onions in oven (on oven racks set near center) and roast garlic 15 minutes (or until just golden) and remove, roast onions 30 – 35 minutes (until edges are golden brown) and remove, and roast tomatoes 40 – 45 minutes until slightly browned.
  4. Pour roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic into a large pot. Add vegetable broth and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
  6. Blend soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender (only fill blender half full and remove center insert and cover with a kitchen towel).
  7. Serve warm topped with grilled cheese or grilled cheese croutons if desired.

Collage of six photos showing steps of roasting tomatoes and onions and garlic. Then shows soup in a pot before and after cooking. Roasted tomato basil soup being blended in a pot with an immersion blender.

Storage

  • Store soup in an airtight container.
  • Soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Or freeze soup up to 3 months.

Helpful Tips

  • Use the best quality, freshest tomatoes possible for the best tasting soup. Tomatoes should be nice and red, and avoid squishy tomatoes.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender you can puree the soup in batches in a blender. Just don’t fill more than 1/2 full, also remove the lids insert and cover with a kitchen towel before blending (so it doesn’t burst from heat build up).
  • You can purchase immersion blenders online if you are looking to own one (I highly recommend them, they are so handy). I have this one and this cheaper one.
  • It’s optional to remove the peels from the tomatoes after they’ve been roasted, though I’ve decided I do like the bit of char they have to them so I usually just leave them. If you blitz the soup up well they aren’t noticeable.
  • If you’d like you can leave the basil on the sprigs in the soup then remove the basil before blending the soup.

Two servings of tomato basil soup in serving bowls.

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Serving of tomato basil soup shown close up in a white bowl with a grilled cheese to the side.
4.92 from 24 votes

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

This soup requires minimal ingredients but yields such amazing results! When you combine several pounds of fresh tomatoes, several cups of fresh basil and a fair amount of garlic you know it's got to be good.
Servings: 6
Prep10 minutes
Cook1 hour 5 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 lbs Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 1 1/4 lbs grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
  • 4 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
  • 2 small yellow onions, sliced just under 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 1/2 cups (26g) lightly packed fresh basil, divided
  • 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • Prepared grilled cheese or grilled cheese croutons (optional), see notes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 3 Tbsp olive oil then season with salt and pepper (place Roma halves cut side upright).
  • Place onion slices and garlic on a rimmed half sheet and toss brush with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on all sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place baking sheet with tomatoes and half sheet with onions in oven side by side and roast garlic 15 minutes (or until just golden) and remove, roast onions 30 - 35 minutes (until edges are golden brown) and remove, and tomatoes 40 - 45 minutes until slightly browned.
  • Pour tomatoes, onions and garlic into a large pot. Add vegetable broth and about 3/4 of the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
  • Blend soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender (only fill blender half full and remove center insert and cover with a kitchen towel). Serve warm topped with remaining basil (chopped).

Notes

For the grilled cheese or grilled cheese croutons:
  • Use 6 slices of hearty sourdough, wheat or white bread. Brush outsides of all slices with 1/2 Tbsp of butter on each. Sprinkle 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded mozzarella or cheddar over non-buttered sides of three slices. Top with remaining 3 slices of bread with buttered side up. Cook in a skillet over medium heat, reducing to medium-low as needed, until bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook opposite side until golden. Cut in half if serving as a sandwich or if serving as croutons in the soup cool just slightly then cut into squares.
  • Optionally you can pull peels from tomatoes if preferred. You can also leave basil on the sprigs then remove sprigs before blending if desired.
  • For a creamy tomato soup you can add 1/2 cup to 1 cup heavy cream to the soup. For a cheesy flavor you can serve with finely shredded parmesan cheese.
  • Recipe makes about 9 cups soup. 
  • Grilled cheese not included in nutrition estimate.
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 170 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 648mg28%
Potassium 702mg20%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 2635IU53%
Vitamin C 50.2mg61%
Calcium 57mg6%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.