If there was ever the ultimate comfort soup, this bowl of deliciousness would be a serious contender.
We go with a combination of fresh tomatoes and canned crushed tomatoes for the perfect taste and texture. The fresh basil and stock are just the right amount of balance to the soup. The cream adds depth and luxuriousness. And, once you’ve roasted the tomatoes, the soup comes together in about 30 minutes!
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
Roasting the tomatoes for this easy tomato basil soup delivers a deeply satisfying taste for the soup.
You can really go with any type of tomato here, but we find Roma tomatoes work best. And, they are typically available all year.
ROASTING THE TOMATOES IS EASY
Simply preheat your oven to 375°F, line a large baking sheet with foil, and slice the tomatoes in half.
If using whole tomatoes, then cut them into thick (½-inch) slices. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. After baking for 1 hour, they will be tender and perfectly cooked.
EXPERT TIP: The tomatoes can be roasted in advance, up to 24 hours. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, cover the tomatoes with either kitchen towels (not pressing down on them), or with plastic wrap. When ready to use, carefully transfer the roasted tomatoes with a spatula (or your hands) from the baking sheet to the pot.
After sautéing chopped onions in olive oil, throw in 4 minced cloves of garlic along with some chopped fresh thyme.
Next goes in a large can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes and the fresh basil.
Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for just 10 minutes.
FRESH TOMATO BASIL SOUP IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES
Once the canned tomatoes have simmered with the basil, it’s time to add in the roasted tomatoes.
Add the stock and let simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes.
We’re getting close, folks!
To reach the right consistency, we use our immersion blender.
EXPERT TIP: You could also purée the soup in a blender or even a food processor. Using either of these appliances will give you a very smooth texture. The immersion blender allows you to make the soup as smooth, or textured, as you desire. Whichever method you opt for, use caution. The soup is hot and can splatter and cause a burn if it reaches your skin.
A final addition of heavy cream adds a depth of silkiness and taste that makes this the best-ever creamy tomato basil soup recipe on the planet.
The soup is now ready to eat, or you can keep it at a low simmer until ready to serve.
EXPERT TIP: You can substitute whole milk or half-and-half in place of the heavy cream. The finished soup will not be as silky, and the cream does add a layer of taste that we think is wonderful, but the other options are fantastic, too. For a completely dairy-free version, don’t add the cream or milk at all.
THE PERFECT SOUP FOR ENTERTAINING
This soup is so satisfying and always gets rave reviews when we serve it to guests.
Silky, cream, and layers upon layers of taste.
And it’s so easy to prepare!
ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP FAQs
- Can I use only canned tomatoes? Yes, but you won’t get the deep roasted taste from roasting fresh tomatoes. If using only canned, skip the roasting steps of the recipe and go with two 28 oz. cans of tomatoes, we recommend one can of crushed tomatoes, and one can of whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano (make sure the can is labeled “certified”).
- What about dried herbs, can I use them? For the thyme, absolutely, go with 1½ teaspoons of dried. For the basil, you won’t get those beautiful specs of basil, and the flavor won’t be as robust, but in a pinch, you could go with ¼ cup of dried basil.
- How do you make those delicious looking croutons? Cut a loaf of bread into thin slices. Cube the slices (2 or 3) and place them in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400°F and bake until golden, flipping once – about 8 minutes.
- How long will the soup keep? As with so many soups and stews, this gets even better the next day. It will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
THE PERFECT DUNKING SOUP
You and your loved ones will flip when you serve this amazing soup. Other favorite soup recipes are our:
Rustic Lentil Soup
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Classic French Onion Soup
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
But in the meantime, make this amazing Roasted Tomato Basil Soup! The PERFECT soup for grilled cheese sandwich dunking!
Ready to make the best tomato basil soup in the world? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a picture, post it on Instagram, and tag @howtofeedaloon and hashtag #howtofeedaloon!
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Video
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven, or soup pot
Ingredients
- 9 Roma tomatoes sliced lengthwise
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes crushed
- 1 cup basil fresh, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spread tomato halves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
- Roast tomatoes for 1 hour. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil, or butter, in a large pot (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, basil, and sugar to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the stock and the roasted tomatoes into the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the soup, or very carefully transfer to a blender or food processor to purée. This would most likely need to be done in a couple batches. Return the soup to the pot.
- Stir in the cream.
- To make the mini croutons: Cut a few small pieces of bread in small cubes, add a little oil, diced garlic and basil...bake at 400 for about 7 minutes... these make wonderful croutons!
- Add the croutons to the top of the served soup. Serve at once!
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in March 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe, new tips, photography, and a brand-new fabulous video in March 2020!
Jessica says
Love this recipe–been hunting for the perfect tomato basil soup. Try this twist…carmelize the onions with the tomatoes in the oven–slice the onion thin, top with tomatoes, s/p + oil. Adds a sweet nuttiness -maybe don’t even need the sugar.
Kris Longwell says
Hey Jessica! Woo hoo!! We LOVE the step of caramelizing the onions in the oven with the tomatoes. YUM!!! We’ll do that net time for sure!
Amy says
I didn’t think I was a fan of tomato basil soup until I tried this recipe! It has incredible flavor, and has become a family favorite in our house. Thank you for sharing!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Amy! You just made our day! We are so so happy you made the tomato basil soup and it converted you to a tomato soup fan! We agree, this is one of our all-time favorite soups and we are thrilled you and your family are enjoying. Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! That means so much to us! Please stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Jennifer says
This is by far THE BEST Tomato Basil soup that I have ever tasted! It has become a staple in my house. Thank you for sharing this fabulous dish! 🙂
Kris Longwell says
Hi Jennifer! Woo hoo!! We are THRILLED you are enjoying our tomato basil soup!!! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the awesome review! That means the world to us! Please stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Kisha says
This soup makes my heart so happy!! Yay! I have tried quite a few tomato soup recipes but this one just is just so perfect! Savory and creamy and the basil really comes through! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Kisha! Woo hoo! We are over-the-moon happy that you had such great success with our tomato basil soup recipe! And thank you so so much for sharing! That means so much to us! Please stay in touch! xo Kris & Wesley
Judith Hidalgo says
Delicious! We like spicy, so I roasted three fresh Serrano peppers with the tomatoes, and added a little extra garlic. Love it! Shredded Parmesan cheese is a great addition when serving.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Judith! Woo hoo!! We LOVE that you spiced the soup up some! And..we are so so thrilled you made the soup and had such great success with it! Thank you for sharing and the wonderful review! That means so much to us! Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley
Mekenna Patterson says
Best tomato soup! super simple to make and highly recommend!
Sara P. says
I love this recipe! Everything was very accurate and the taste was amazing! My husband is VERY picky with food, texture, and flavor and this recipe was perfect for him! I can’t wait to try your other recipes! ❤️
Kris Longwell says
Hi Sara! Yay!! We are thrilled you tried the tomato basil soup and had such great success with it! And kudos for pleasing your hubby!! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review! That means the world to us! Stay in touch and stay tuned…lots more fun and food on the way! Kris & Wesley
Chelsea Gudith says
This is THEE recipe for the silkiest, most perfectly balanced
& flavorful tomato soup. I made this for some friends who, “hate tomato soup”…. sure enough- this recipe converted them. I also gave some to my Dad, a tomato basil soup connoisseur and he is HOOKED. My family said, “this HAS to be cooked on the first snow day of the year and served with grilled cheese, ALWAYS”. Soooooo I’d say this recipe is a five star keeper. Also, I love watching Mitchell and Cam’s…..I mean Kris & Wesley’s videos, and I’m sad we’re not friends IRL because I also LOVE to cook, and y’all seem like you’d be the BEST company! 😉
Kris Longwell says
Chelsea! You just made our day! We are so so happy you had such great success with the tomato basil soup! And thank you SO MUCH for the kind words! We love cooking with friends in the kitchen!!!!! And we know you do, too!!! xoxoxo Kris & Wesley
Carol says
My, oh, my. This soup is amazing! Without tomatoes out of season, I bought a bunch of hot house tomatoes, but once roasted, so yummy! I also roasted a head of garlic at the same time as the tomatoes and added three cloves of the roasted garlic. Didn’t have fresh basil, so used fresh thyme and dried basil ( 3 Tbsp).
Kris Longwell says
Hi Carol! Woo hoo!! Sounds like you prepared the soup perfectly!! That’s the great thing about this soup, you can adapt it to what you have on hand! Thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That means the world to us!! Stay in touch! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Cindy says
This is the most hearty scrumptious tomato soup ever! Omg it’s thick and has lovely texture and the flavors are absolutely perfect and to die for I will be making this again and again!! Thanks for much!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Cindy! Yay! We are so so thrilled you made the tomato basil soup and enjoyed it!! We appreciate you letting us know and for the awesome review! That truly means the world to us! Please stay in touch!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
carole White says
Hi!
I had my first bowl of tomato bisque soup today and I am in love. I had Campbell’s and swore until today that I hated tomato soup. I am looking for a recipe to try and yours looks awesome except for thyme. I was thinking oregano. Your ideas? Thank you!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Carole! Homemade tomato soup puts the canned variety to shame!!! You can absolutely substitute the thyme with oregano…it will be delicious! Good luck and let us know how it turns out!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Ryan Sandoval says
I found this recipe a few years ago on Pinterest and every time my friends come over they force me to make this, we all love it so much!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Ryan! Woo hoo! You just made our day! We are so so happy you having such great success with the tomato basil soup…and sounds like your friends are happy about it, too! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing and for the wonderful review! That means a lot to us! Please stay in touch! Kris & Wesley
Sue in fl says
Made this recipe. It was amazingly good! Must try!
Lori Holbert says
Can you roast the garlic with the tomatoes?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Lori, absolutely! Be sure to wrap the whole garlic cloves in foil and drizzle a little olive oil over them. They will roast beautifully, and give a nice roasted garlic flavor to the soup. Go for it! Keep us posted! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Brittni says
The best tomato soup! We have been using this recipe for years and are still obsessed! My husband “hates tomato soup” but he will eat bowl after bowl of this! My 2, 4 and 6 year old have always loved it too!
Kris Longwell says
Brittni!! You just made our day! We LOVE that you and your beautiful family are enjoying our roasted tomato basil soup recipe! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the GREAT review. That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Bonnie says
Wonderful soup! Worth the time to make it.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Bonnie! Yay!! So glad you made the tomato basil soup and had such great success! Thanks so much for sharing!!