Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (Printable)

Luxurious Italian soup with oven-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil blended into silky perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Roasted Vegetables

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large yellow onion, quartered
03 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled
04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Soup Base

07 - 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional

→ Garnish

11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche, optional
12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Croutons or toasted bread, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange halved tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on the sheet.
02 - Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized and onions are tender.
03 - Transfer roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices to a large pot. Add vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
04 - Stir in fresh basil leaves, butter, and sugar if using. Simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches using a countertop blender and return to pot.
06 - For a silkier consistency, strain the soup through a fine sieve. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Pour hot soup into bowls. Drizzle with cream and garnish with fresh basil leaves and croutons or toasted bread if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasting step transforms ordinary tomatoes into something with real caramel notes and complexity that tastes like you spent hours on this.
  • It's genuinely simple enough to make on a weeknight but elegant enough to serve when you want to impress someone.
  • There's no heavy cream requirement unless you want it, so you can keep it light or make it luxurious depending on your mood.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step thinking you can save time by simmering the raw vegetables in broth instead; the oven does something chemical and delicious that you simply cannot replicate on the stovetop.
  • If your blended soup seems too thin, let it simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes to reduce and concentrate, but be careful not to make it so thick it loses its soup-like quality.
03 -
  • Don't halve your tomatoes too far in advance; cut them right before roasting so they don't lose too much juice to the cutting board.
  • If you notice the soup separating or looking broken after blending, a quick simmer with a small splash of cream or a pat of butter will bring it back together silkily.
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