Tomato Basil Soup
Tomato basil soup provides a creamy, thick, and delicious freezer-friendly recipe with deep flavors from roasted tomatoes and garlic, fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes to awaken your tastebuds. Soul-warming soups are fantastic year-round, with or without accompaniments!
Cold weather makes me crave warming soups and stews. It gets me in the mood to start experimenting in the kitchen. And this simple yet flavorful tomato basil soup cures any chilly weather blues and lifts my spirits straight away.
Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup With Basil
When I moved to the States, the popularity of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches amazed me. While most people I know opened a can of concentrate, that’s not how I roll. I understand; sometimes pulling out a can opener is the way to go, so no judgment here.
However, the joy of making delicious food from scratch outweighs the time it takes. The aroma of roasting fresh tomatoes and garlic fills the kitchen, elevating comfort food to gourmet fare. Besides, you know what’s in your lunch (no scary-sounding ingredients in this goodness).
How to Make Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.
- Wash tomatoes properly and slice them in half or cut them into quarters, depending on their size. Smaller tomatoes can be left whole.
- Prep – Place the tomatoes and garlic cloves in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Generously season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast tomatoes for 40-50 minutes or until the skins soften and char slightly. Whole tomatoes will start bursting and oozing juice. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. (Photo 1)
- Simmer – Add roasted tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, broth, Italian seasoning, sugar, and red pepper flakes to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. (You can carefully pour the ingredients in batches in a countertop blender if you don’t have an immersion blender.) (Photos 2-4)
- Puree – Using an immersion or handheld blender, carefully blend on high. Puree until your soup reaches the desired consistency (smooth or chunky). (Photo 5)
- Final Step – Return to the heat, add the cream if using, and do a taste test to adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes. (Photo 6)
- Serve – Garnish with fresh basil and croutons if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- For extra roasty goodness, roast the red pepper and onions with the tomatoes and garlic.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but feel free to add a flour or cornstarch slurry for extra thickness.
- Another thickener is adding a cooked potato before pureeing. Adding a ¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese won’t hurt, either.
Making Ahead and Leftovers
Tomato soup is even better the next day, so make a large batch for later. It should last 3-4 days in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer (though you may want to wait on the cream if freezing). Simply reheat it in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until bubbly.
What Goes With Tomato Basil Soup
The classic pairing with tomato soup is a grilled cheese sandwich, the traditional way or the South African version. Homemade garlic bread and croutons are always a welcome addition, while a fresh salad rounds out a savory and quick lunch. Sneak in a banana bundt cake for dessert to turn into a celebration.
More Comforting Soup Recipes to Explore
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Groundnut Soup from Scratch
- Palaver
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5kg) plump Roma tomatoes
- 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 medium onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup (20-25g) packed basil leaves
- 3 cups (700ml) liquid (water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon (2g) Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (2g) red pepper flakes
- ½ cup (120ml) cream or coconut milk (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter or oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.
- Wash tomatoes properly and slice them in half or cut them into quarters, depending on their size. Smaller tomatoes can be left whole.
- Place the tomatoes and garlic cloves in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Generously season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast tomatoes for 40-50 minutes or until the skins soften and char slightly. Whole tomatoes will start bursting and oozing juice. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
- Add roasted tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, broth, Italian seasoning, sugar, and red pepper flakes to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. (You can carefully pour the ingredients in batches in a countertop blender if you don't have an immersion blender.)
- Using an immersion or handheld blender, carefully blend on high. Puree until your soup reaches the desired consistency (smooth or chunky).
- Return to the heat, add the cream if using, and do a taste test to adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil and croutons if desired. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- For extra roasty goodness, roast the red pepper and onions with the tomatoes and garlic.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but feel free to add a flour or cornstarch slurry for extra thickness.
- Another thickener is adding a cooked potato before pureeing. A ¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese won’t hurt.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used
Oh man.. I made this recipe ALMOST exactly as-is and normally I’d need to make a ton of adjustments but NOPE! I’m never buying store can tomato soup again! This recipe could easily be doubled to fill an aluminum rice pot’s worth. ENJOY CAUSE WE WILL BE!!?
.. The slight adjustment I made was I used a whole red pepper and I roasted it with the tomato and garlic at the same time. Next time will add the onion to cause ugghhhhhhhh. And next time I’ll just use a half tsp for the recipe instead of a whole
Thank you for your feedback and recipe ideas:)
I had been on the hunt for a good tomato soup recipe I could make at home and as usual you delivered. It’s so delicious and savory. I substituted non dairy heavy cream. Superb!! Will make again in the future and try it with coconut milk.
Thank you, Latoya. So happy you like it just as much as I do.
YUM gorgeous recipe
Thank you. It sure is.
This soup looks AMAZING !! Of course I have almost none of the ingredients on hand at the moment. Guess I’m heading out to the grocery store this afternoon 😉 Thank you Imma, for this recipe !
Awesome! Can’t wait to hear how it works out for you. Thanks Dawn.
Looks tempting. When you say cream or coconut milk, is it dairy cream or coconut?
It’s dairy cream.