Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
User Reviews
4.9
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Description
This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup relies on roasting halved Roma and grape tomatoes, garlic cloves, and sliced onions until they develop caramelized golden edges and concentrated flavors. Olive oil and seasoning gently coat the vegetables before roasting in a hot oven. The roasted vegetables are then simmered in low-sodium vegetable broth with fresh basil, which imparts fragrant herbal freshness balancing the sweetness and acidity of tomatoes.
Blending the soup smooth creates a velvety texture ideal for warming up on cooler days. The soup’s flavor is a careful balance of roasted sweetness, subtle bitterness from the onions, and the bright aromatic quality of basil. Salt and pepper are adjusted to enhance the overall profile.
Serving suggestions include topping with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese or pairing with grilled cheese sandwiches or grilled cheese croutons for extra meltiness and texture contrast. The grilled cheese can be prepared with sourdough or wheat bread, buttered on the outside for golden crust and filled with mozzarella or cheddar for flavor and creaminess.
The recipe can be varied by peeling tomatoes if preferred or leaving basil sprigs whole during simmering and removing before blending. Adding heavy cream for extra richness or Parmesan cheese boosts creaminess and flavor depth.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 lbs Roma tomato halved lengthwise
- 1 1/4 lbs grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- 4 1/2 Tbsp olive oil divided
- salt and black pepper
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
- 2 yellow onion sliced just under 1/2-inch thick, small
- 1 1/2 cups (26g) lightly packed basil divided, fresh
- 5 cups vegetable broth low-sodium
- grilled cheese sandwich or grilled cheese croutons (optional), see notes, prepared
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 3 Tbsp olive oil then season with salt and pepper (place Roma halves cut side upright).
- Place onion slices and garlic on a rimmed half sheet and toss brush with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on all sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place baking sheet with tomatoes and half sheet with onions in oven side by side and roast garlic 15 minutes (or until just golden) and remove, roast onions 30 - 35 minutes (until edges are golden brown) and remove, and tomatoes 40 - 45 minutes until slightly browned.
- Pour tomatoes, onions and garlic into a large pot. Add vegetable broth and about 3/4 of the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
- Blend soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender (only fill blender half full and remove center insert and cover with a kitchen towel). Serve warm topped with remaining basil (chopped).
Notes
- Use hearty bread and butter it well when making grilled cheese to achieve a golden, crisp crust.
- Grilled cheese can be cut into cubes as croutons to add texture directly to the soup.
- For creamier soup, add ½ to 1 cup heavy cream before serving.
- Peeling tomatoes before roasting is optional depending on texture preference.
- Remove basil sprigs before blending to avoid bitter herb pieces.
- Recipe yields about 9 cups of soup; grilled cheese is served separately.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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