This roasted tomato soup is packed with the intense flavors of oven-roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil. Serve with some grilled cheese!
Like I mentioned in my latest roasted cauliflower soup blog post, soups have never been my top choice. But hey! I was DEAD WRONG. As I create more soup recipes, I am realizing more and more that the possibilities are endless, and that soups are a perfect way to eat a light meal.
This roasted tomato and basil soup is so damn good! The flavors are deep and rich due to two key things:
- roasted roma tomatoes
- roasted garlic
Those two were like made for each other. Seriously.
Roasting Tomatoes
Roasting tomatoes in the oven helps to intensify their deep flavors and bring out the sweetness of tomatoes by removing excessive moisture and caramelizing the exterior. This leaves you with pure, deep flavors, perfect for soups or sauces!
Roasting tomatoes is also a great technique to bring out the “tomato-y-ness” (yes, made-up word, so what! :P) when they are not in season. See the recipe card below for instructions on how to roast tomatoes!
The best tomatoes for this are roma tomatoes, in my opinion. But any will do!
Roasted Garlic
Roasted garlic is like…from another world! The flavors are so intense and packed. It’s like dropping flavor packs in your dishes, elevating your entire home cooking game. Trust me! In fact, it’s such an important cooking technique that I wrote a blog post about roasting garlic here.
Sooo, back to the roasted tomato and basil soup! It’s really the best thing ever. Once you have the roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic, you have to make the base by sautéing butter with diced onions, and then add the herb components. I used fresh thyme and Italian seasoning. Then comes the rest of the ingredients: roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, can of plum tomatoes, chicken stock, and fresh basil leaves.
All of that simmers, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes, until all the flavors have come together. Then use an immersion blender to blend everything until the right consistency. If too thick, just add more chicken stock and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
What To Pair Roasted Tomato Soup With
Just some ideas!
- grilled cheese, a classic!
- pesto grilled cheese
- any sandwich: BLT, ham and swiss, veggie sandwich
- a simple salad
Kitchen Tips
- I find that roma tomatoes work best for this soup. They taste a bit sweeter.
- Try also adding freshly chopped oregano for additional herb flavors!
- The best way to blend hot soup is by using an immersion blender, which you can get online for a low price. It’s safer than transferring hot soup to a stand blender.
Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
The intense flavors of roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic make this soup one of the best things ever!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 garlic head
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes, with juice
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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Cut 1/4 inch of the head of garlic from the top. Place garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil and seal by twisting the foil. For mored details on roasting garlic, see here.
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In a large sheet pan, toss roma tomatoes with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Place prepared the garlic head on the same sheet pan. Roast for about 35 minutes. After they have roasted, let tomatoes and garlic cool slightly. Squeeze out garlic cloves from skin.
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Heat a large dutch oven to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, the diced onions. Sauté until onions are translucent and browned, about 8 minutes. Add thyme and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
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Add the 3 cups chicken stock, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic cloves, the can of plum tomatoes, and basil leaves. Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, until liquid has reduced by a third, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
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Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth and desired consistency. Adjust for seasonings. If too thick, add more chicken stock and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
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Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve warm and garnish with basil leaves, if desired. Enjoy!
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