Sweet and Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

A simple homemade tomato basil soup recipe with fresh tomatoes and fragrant garden basil is the perfect companion for a grilled cheese sandwich! This sweet and creamy Roasted Tomato Soup brings out the rich flavors in the produce for a meal that's cozy, delicious and nourishing. You might never go back to the canned stuff again...

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

This roasted tomato soup recipe is loaded with fresh tomato flavor that's perfectly balanced by just a touch of cream. It's smooth, sweet, and highly-seasoned with plenty of fresh basil, garlic and onion. The easy tomato basil soup is an ideal way to use up the last of that summer produce that may be languishing on the vine! Pair it with grilled cheese sandwiches, a crusty loaf of bread, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, or a simple side salad for an easy lunch or dinner that the whole family will love.

The Best Tomatoes for Soup

Canned tomatoes are a nice shortcut for an easy 30-minute tomato basil soup on your busiest weeknights; however, fresh tomatoes are the way to go when you want that really deep, sweet, roasted tomato flavor. Plus, by the end of each summer, it's nice to be able to use up the last of the fresh garden tomatoes in a cozy soup that transitions well into fall.

Any fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes will work. I used Roma tomatoes here, but plum tomatoes, larger beefsteak tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or even little cherry tomatoes are all good options.

How to Roast Tomatoes for Soup

To prepare the smaller tomatoes (like Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes), simply cut each tomato in half. If you're using larger tomatoes (like beefsteak), you'll want to core them and cut them into fourths or sixths, depending on their size. Place the cut tomatoes on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Then crank up the oven to 425 degrees F!

How Long to Roast Tomatoes

Roast the tomatoes for about 30 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until they are tender and just starting to caramelize. If you like more of a charred flavor in your soup, you can let the tomatoes go even longer in the oven.

Do you put the roasted tomato skins into tomato soup?

This is a matter of personal preference. For a smooth soup, peel off the tomato skins after roasting. It's a simple process that only takes a few minutes, as the roasted skins just slide right off of the tomatoes. If you don't mind some flecks of skin in your soup, you can leave them on -- that's fine, too!

How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes

Roasting fresh tomatoes adds a deep, rich flavor to the soup and brings out the natural sweetness in the tomatoes. It's an extra step, but well worth the effort!

Ingredients for Easy Tomato Basil Soup

• Fresh tomatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Butter
• Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion)
• Garlic
• All-purpose flour
• Chicken broth
• White wine
• Sugar
• Whole milk or heavy cream
• Fresh basil

Why add sugar to tomato soup?

Roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness, but you'll still need to add a little bit of sugar to the soup. In order to achieve great tomato flavor, it's important to balance acidity and sweetness. Too much acid or too much sugar yields a soup that tastes one-dimensional. A little bit of sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes. I generally prefer 2 tablespoons of sugar in this recipe; however, if you're working with particularly sweet tomatoes, or if you like a less-sweet soup, you can start with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Give the soup a taste and add more, if necessary.

Step 1: Sauté Onion and Garlic then Thicken with Flour

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Stir in the garlic, cook for 30 more seconds, and then add the flour. Cook and stir the flour for about 1 more minute. The mixture will be very thick.

Step 2: Add Liquid and Roasted Tomatoes

Gradually add the broth and wine, stirring or whisking constantly to make sure that the ingredients come together smoothly. Add the roasted tomatoes (with their juices) and the sugar.

Step 3: Stir in Cream and Basil

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes. Stir in the milk or cream and the fresh basil, and cook until warmed through (about 5 more minutes).

Step 4: Puree

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in batches in a regular blender.

Step 5: Serve

Taste and season the soup with additional salt, pepper or sugar, as necessary. Then ladle into bowls and serve!

How to Dress Up Tomato Basil Soup

Keep it simple with a garnish of extra basil. You can also dress up the soup with homemade garlic croutons, a heavy grating of fresh Parmesan cheese, or small cubes of grilled cheese sandwiches (like grilled cheese croutons).

What to Serve with Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

There's no more classic combination than grilled cheese and tomato basil soup! It's a simple, hearty and satisfying lunch or dinner that appeals to both kids and adults. I like to make a loaf of crusty No-Knead Bread, which is ideal for thick, toasty grilled cheese sandwiches.

Looking for other options? Homemade roasted tomato soup also goes well with buttermilk biscuits, French baguette, 3-Ingredient Beer Bread, cheese and crackers, Caesar salad, or a simple green salad dressed with homemade Buttermilk Ranch.

Storage

Make the soup in advance, allow it to cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To Freeze

If you want to prepare the soup well in advance and store it in the freezer, do not add the milk or cream. Allow the soup to cool completely, package in airtight containers or Ziploc freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Add the cream to the warm soup just before serving.

To Reheat

Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Place the soup in a saucepan or soup pot and heat on low, just until warmed through. Add the cream at the end. Do not let the soup boil.

Tips for the Best Sweet Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

• Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup is best prepared with fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes. However, if you'd like to make the soup in the winter when good tomatoes are hard to come by, you can substitute 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) of diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes. You don't need to roast the canned, diced tomatoes. Just add the cans of tomatoes (with their juices) right to the pot of soup. Use canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes to get a little bit of that charred, roasted taste.
• Line your baking sheet or roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup.
• Fresh basil is always best in this soup, but you can substitute with about 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of dried basil.
• Use a good quality white wine that you would actually like to drink (not something labeled as "cooking wine"). Nice options include crisp whites like pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc and unoaked chardonnay. If you prefer a soup without alcohol, you can substitute with additional chicken broth.
• Chunky Roasted Tomato Soup: you can control the texture of your soup with the immersion blender. Puree less if you like a more rustic texture with chunks of tomato and onion in your bowl.
• How To Thicken Tomato Basil Soup: adding the flour to the butter and onion mixture creates a roux that thickens the soup. If it's still not thick enough for your liking, you can simmer the soup uncovered for longer than 30 minutes -- until it reaches the desired consistency. Then add the cream and basil at the very end.

More Recipes That Use Fresh Tomatoes

• Classic Southern Tomato Sandwich
• Southern Tomato Pie
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
• Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Sweet and Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

A simple homemade tomato basil soup recipe with fresh tomatoes and fragrant garden basil is the perfect companion for a grilled cheese sandwich!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomato soup, tomato basil soup

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 117kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. ripe fresh tomatoes (Roma, plum, beefsteak or heirloom will all work well ); (I used about 14 Roma tomatoes here)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion), diced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup white wine (or sub additional broth)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream, at room temperature
• ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
• Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise, or if using larger beefsteak tomatoes, remove cores and cut into quarters or sixths, depending on their size. Place the tomatoes in a shallow roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
• Roast the tomatoes until tender and just barely beginning to caramelize, about 30 minutes.
• Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins as much as possible (it’s fine if some is left on). Set aside, reserving the juices from the tomatoes as well.
• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir for 1 more minute.
• Gradually add the broth and wine, stirring constantly to make sure that everything comes together smoothly. Add the roasted tomatoes with juices, and sugar. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes. Stir in the milk (or cream) and the basil; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

Notes

• Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup is best prepared with fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes. However, if you'd like to make the soup in the winter when good tomatoes are hard to come by, you can substitute 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) of diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes. You don't need to roast the canned, diced tomatoes. Just add the cans of tomatoes (with their juices) right to the pot of soup. Use canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes to get a little bit of that charred, roasted taste.
• Line your baking sheet or roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup.
• Fresh basil is always best in this soup, but you can substitute with about 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of dried basil.
• Use a good quality white wine that you would actually like to drink (not something labeled as "cooking wine"). Nice options include crisp whites like pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc and unoaked chardonnay. If you prefer a soup without alcohol, you can substitute with additional chicken broth.
• Chunky Roasted Tomato Soup: you can control the texture of your soup with the immersion blender. Puree less if you like a more rustic texture with chunks of tomato and onion in your bowl.
• How To Thicken Tomato Basil Soup: adding the flour to the butter and onion mixture creates a roux that thickens the soup. If it's still not thick enough for your liking, you can simmer the soup uncovered for longer than 30 minutes -- until it reaches the desired consistency. Then add the cream and basil at the very end.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1089IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg