Tomato Basil Soup

Once you try this tomato basil soup recipe, you may never go back to packaged soups again. This isn’t a soup made from canned diced tomatoes; it’s all about roasting fresh tomatoes along with some garlic for incredible flavor. Imagine the smell of roasting garlic wafting through the kitchen as you prepare the tomatoes for soup. Now imagine the flavor of the soup, loaded with fresh basil leaves, roasted tomatoes and roasted garlic, plus a splash of half-and-half to make it a little decadent. With a recipe like this, it’s always a good day for soup.

Ingredients for Tomato Basil Soup

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• Plum or Roma tomatoes: Core the fresh tomatoes and cut them in half. Either variety is excellent for roasting, as they hold their shape better than roasted beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes.
• Garlic: Smash the garlic cloves. The garlic roasts along with the tomatoes for an incredible flavor upgrade.
• Salt and pepper: Roasting the tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper locks in just the right amount of flavor.
• Onion: Sauteing a chopped onion adds savoriness to the soup, plus a little texture.
• Oregano plus cayenne pepper: This spice duo creates an Italian flavor profile with a kick.
• Reduced-sodium vegetable broth: Using a reduced-sodium vegetable broth keeps the sodium content lower; regular broths tend to have high sodium levels.
• Basil leaves: Feel free to add more fresh basil if you enjoy lots of basil flavor in a tomato soup.
• Half-and-half: The cream makes the soup a little more hearty and rich.
• Fresh cracked pepper: A dash of cracked pepper adds a warming garnish to the top of each bowl of soup.

Directions 

Step 1: Roast the tomatoes and garlic

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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tomatoes and garlic on a greased 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss to coat the tomatoes and garlic. Roast the tomatoes and garlic until the tomatoes have burst and are caramelized, or about 1 hour.

Editor’s Tip: If desired, peel away the tomato skins after roasting the tomatoes and letting them cool a little. The peel comes off easily at this stage.

Step 2: Start the soup

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Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the onion and cook it until it’s tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the dried oregano and cayenne, plus the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add the roasted tomatoes and garlic, the vegetable broth and the fresh basil and simmer the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cream.

Step 3: Puree and serve

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Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to the desired consistency. Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh cracked pepper.

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Tomato Basil Soup Variations

• Add more Italian seasonings: While this recipe already calls for dried oregano and fresh basil, give it even more flavor with an Italian seasoning blend. This mixture typically includes oregano, basil, garlic, thyme and marjoram, plus parsley and onion powder.
• Garnish with basil: Roll up a few basil leaves and cut across the roll to create thin strips. Sprinkle the basil strips atop each bowl of soup for a lovely edible garnish. Placing baby basil leaves in a cluster near the edge of the soup bowl is also a nice touch.
• Add roasted onion: Roast some of the onions along with the tomatoes, then puree them in the soup using an immersion blender. Onions lose their bite and develop a slight sweetness when roasted; try these baked Vidalia onions for a new way to experience them on their own!

How to Store Tomato Basil Soup

When the soup cools, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll keep for about 3 to 4 days, refrigerated. The flavor may change as time goes on due to the cream, so the sooner the soup is enjoyed, the better.

Can you freeze tomato basil soup? 

Tomato basil soup is a wonderful soup to freeze for another day. It’ll keep for up to 3 months frozen, but the freezing and thawing sometimes affects the cream. If you’re making the dish and know right away that you’ll freeze some, skip the cream in the portion that’s destined for the freezer, then add it in after reheating the soup.

Tomato Basil Soup Tips

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How can I make this vegan?

Though this soup is vegetarian, it’s not vegan because of the cream. To make it vegan-friendly, swap the cream for a plant-based half-and-half cream instead.

Could I use a different type of tomato?

Sure! Cherry tomatoes are particularly nice for a soup, resulting in a flavor that’s a tad sweet. Tomatoes that have a somewhat firm shape that holds up while slicing the tomato in half are good for roasting.

What could I use instead of half-and-half?

If you don’t have half-and-half, equal parts of milk and cream create the same thing. In a pinch, milk will do, but the end result is a slightly less creamy soup.