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.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 197kcal
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven or a large pot
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic unpeeled
- 3 pounds roma tomatoes halved lengthwise (from top to bottom)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth plus more as needed
- 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 to taste, or half-and-half
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 pepper. Fold up the foil and seal. Set aside.
- On a large sheet pan, drizzle roma tomatoes with olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Arrange tomatoes flat side up, without overcrowding. 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 30-40 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through. Set aside. Note: The tomatoes need 30 minutes. The roasted garlic needs closer to 40 minutes.
Make the soup
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add thyme and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, 1-2 more minutes.
- Stir in broth, then add the roasted tomatoes, the canned diced tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. Next, squeeze out the garlic cloves only and add it into the soup (discard the rest).
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer with the lid partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.
- Stir in the granulated sugar. This balances out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Stir in heavy cream to taste, and simmer for another 1 minute until incorporated. Garnish as desired and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes work best, but large regular tomatoes are fine too, although you may need fewer due to their size.
- Roasting tip: Don’t overcrowd the sheet pan, otherwise the tomatoes will steam instead of roast. Use two pans if necessary.
- Blending: An immersion blender is ideal. If using a countertop blender, be very careful when handling hot liquids.
- Cream substitute: Half-and-half can be used instead.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the bisque as directed and let it cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. Stir in a bit of broth or half-and-half to loosen it.
- Freezing: Omit the heavy cream before freezing, as dairy doesn’t freeze well. Add it after reheating. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and simmer on the stove, or heat straight from frozen in a pot.
- Roasted garlic: Not a huge fan of garlic? That’s totally fine - skip the roasted garlic, and sauté some minced garlic along with the diced onions instead.
- Fresh thyme: Dried thyme, use ⅓ teaspoon dried instead of 1 teaspoon fresh.
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