This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup couldn’t be easier to throw together. Simply roast fresh tomatoes with shallot, garlic, and herbs, then add to a blender with some broth and blend it all up! The whole recipe takes less than an hour to prepare, and this soup freezes really well so it’s great for using up lots of fresh tomatoes!
Table of contents
An Elevated Take on Classic Tomato Soup
Roasted tomato basil soup served with a homemade sourdough grilled cheese sandwich is hands-down one of my favorite comfort meals!
I grew up with the Campbell’s version served with a Kraft singles grilled cheese (still amazing). However, today we’re giving classic tomato soup and grilled cheese a makeover.
Fresh tomatoes are roasted with shallot, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs until soft and then blended for the easiest soup ever. The flavor is out of this world!
Required Equipment
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Fresh tomatoes. Use your favorite! I used a mix of vine ripened tomatoes, baby San Marzano tomatoes, and some Roma tomatoes. Roasting fresh tomatoes first for soups (versus adding them raw) deepens their flavor and enhances their natural sweetness.
- Shallot. One thinly sliced shallot adds the perfect amount of onion flavor without being overwhelming. If you don’t have shallots, sub in half of a small yellow onion, thinly sliced.
- Garlic. Garlic is a must in this recipe! I use peeled, whole garlic cloves and they slowly roast and become soft in the oven. So good!
- Olive oil. You don’t need to use high-quality olive oil here, just one that you like.
- Fresh thyme and basil. I used a bit of fresh thyme in with the tomatoes while they roasted, and blended a little basil in at the end.
- Broth. If you find the soup to be a little thick after blending, add a little broth or water to thin it out. Personally, I like my soup thick!
- Heavy cream. I drizzled a little cream into the soup after serving. You can omit this or keep it vegan by using a little drizzle of coconut cream.
Only Have Canned Tomatoes? That’s Okay Too!
If you want to make this tomato basil soup with canned tomatoes instead of fresh, follow the same steps below but prepare for it to taste slightly different. There’s something about the flavor of fresh, roasted tomatoes that makes this recipe so special.
An Overview of How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Prep your tomatoes. If you’re using baby or cherry tomatoes, you don’t need to cut them up, just give them a good rinse. I used a mix of tomatoes so I halved and quartered the larger ones.
- Roast the tomatoes. Combine your tomatoes, shallots, and garlic in a baking dish (I used a 9×13-inch dish). Drizzle the olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix everything really well and then throw a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme in. Roast at 400ยบF. for about 45 minutes, until everything is soft.
- Blend. Transfer the contents of the baking dish to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add 2-3 basil leaves to the blender, season to taste with salt and pepper, and blend. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a little broth until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Serve. Pour soup into bowls and top with a little drizzle of cream and more fresh basil. Serve with grilled cheese (recipe below!).
Side Dish Suggestions
I almost always pair this roasted fresh tomato soup with grilled cheese for dipping, but it’s also delicious when paired with a fresh side salad or crusty bread.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Favorite Tomato Soup Recipes
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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tomato Basil Soup
- 2 lbs. tomatoes, cut in half/quarters if larger
- 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- Heavy cream or coconut cream, for drizzling
- Fresh basil leaves
For the Grilled Cheese*
- 4-8 slices Sliced sourdough bread
- 4-8 slices Havarti cheese
- 4-8 slices Colby Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the Soup
- Preheat an oven to 400ยบF. In a baking dish (not on a sheet pan!), combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Top with 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Roast the tomatoes. Roast for 45 minutes, until the tomatoes, shallot, and garlic are soft and the tomatoes have released their juices.
- Blend until smooth. Transfer the contents of the baking dish (all the juices too!) to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add the broth if the soup is a little thick, 2-3 fresh basil leaves, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve. Pour soup into bowls and drizzle with heavy cream or coconut cream. Top with more fresh basil.
Make the Grilled Cheese
- Assemble the sandwiches. Add two slices of each cheese to each sandwich and lightly spread the mayo on both sides of the sandwich.
- Cook until golden brown. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the skillet and after it has melted and is foamy, add the sandwiches to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Rate & Review This Recipe
[…] Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup โ SO MUCH FOOD […]
Did entirely as instructed. By the 45 minute point, the tomatoes looked done and ready, and the garlic and shallot were burnt to a crisp. I obviously tried to avoid adding these to my blender, but since it was well mixed with the tomatoes, some pieces must have fallen in. It tasted so bitter and gross, not even sugar could help it.
In the future, I’ll chop the shallot (not “thinly slice”), and chop my tomato to an even smaller size, and reduce the time in the oven by maybe half. I am not sure what got mistranslated but this was a disaster.
I’m sorry that happened, but my guess is that you used either a baking sheet or a baking dish that was too large for the contents. The only way the garlic and shallot would burn is if they aren’t partially covered by the tomatoes, which is why I use a baking dish and not a baking sheet. The moisture from the tomatoes as they roast keeps the shallot and garlic from drying out and burning. I hope you give it another try!