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A bowl with tomato bisque served with grilled cheese croutons
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4.98 from 38 votes

Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque

You'll love this creamy tomato basil bisque. It's packed with tons of flavor, fresh roasted tomatoes, and roasted garlic. It's smooth and creamy. A great make-ahead and freezer-friendly recipe.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Roasting35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Tania

Ingredients

  • 1 head fresh garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds roma tomatoes halved lengthwise (from top to bottom)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 4 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with all its juices
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar plus more as needed
  • 1 cup heavy cream or to taste

Instructions

Roast garlic and tomatoes

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Cut off ¼ inch of the head of garlic from the top. Place garlic on top of aluminum foil and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil and seal by twisting the foil. Set aside.
  • On a large sheet pan, drizzle roma tomatoes with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper). Arrange tomatoes flat side up, without overcrowding the pan. Tip: use 2 sheet pans if needed, as overcrowding will lead to steaming and not roasting.
  • Place the prepared garlic head on the same sheet pan, along with the tomatoes. Roast for 35 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through. Set aside. Tip: If the tomatoes start to burn (from the caramelization), flip them over with tongs.

Prepare soup

  • In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add thyme and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
  • Stir in chicken broth, the prepared roasted tomatoes, the canned diced tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. Then, squeeze out the garlic cloves from the head and add it to the soup.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. At this point, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 20-25 minutes, until somewhat reduced.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Add a little bit of sugar to taste (about ½ or 1 teaspoon) to remove the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir in heavy cream to taste, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust soup until desired consistency by adding more broth or heavy cream. Garnish as desired and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Roasting tomatoes: Don’t overcrowd the sheet pans, use two sheet pans if needed. If they look like they are burning (this can happen when they start to caramelize), flip them.
  • An immersion blender is your best bet here. It’s easy to use and much safer than transferring hot liquids to a countertop blender.
  • If needed, you can use a regular countertop blender, but be careful - hot liquids tend to expand, so don’t fill the blender too much. Do it in parts.
  • Make ahead: Make up to 3 days in advance and keep refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat over the stovetop or microwave oven, adding a little bit more of broth since it will thicken overnight.
  • Freezing: Leave out the heavy cream, as dairy doesn’t freeze well. Freeze in containers or freezer-friendly bags for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm up the next day, adding heavy cream at the end. If you’re in a rush, microwave the soup in a microwave-safe container or use a warm water bath.
Substitutions and variations:
  • Roma tomatoes: Large vine ripe red tomatoes are okay too, but roma tomatoes are best.
  • Roasted garlic: Not a huge fan of garlic? That’s totally fine - skip the roasted garlic, and saute some minced garlic along with the diced onions instead.
  • Fresh thyme: Dried thyme works too, use ⅓ teaspoon dried instead of 1 teaspoon fresh.
  • Chicken broth: Vegetable broth.
  • Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk, but adjust consistency to taste since it may be thinner.
 
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2394IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg