Homemade Tomato Basil Soup is thick and full of rich, fresh flavor thanks to oven-roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions. Soup, stews and chowders that are made from scratch, just like Crockpot Clam Chowder or hearty Beef Stew are always the best and this recipe is proof. Any variety of fresh tomatoes will work, but Roma tomatoes help create a thick, rich soup. Make it tonight and enjoy every spoonful.
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Ingredients for Tomato Basil Soup
- Roma tomatoes
- Garlic
- Onion
- Olive oil
- 2, 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes with basil
- 1, 32-ounce carton of organic vegetable broth
- Fresh basil
- Cayenne pepper
- Heavy whipping cream
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Oven Roast
The big secret to the fantastic flavor is to oven-roast the tomatoes, garlic and onions.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the tomatoes, onions and garlic across the paper.
Brush with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast at 450° F for about an hour.
One of the best parts about making this soup at home is the aroma that will fill your kitchen while the tomatoes, onions and garlic are roasting in the oven.
The delicious scents might remind you of your favorite Italian restaurant. Nothing short of divine.
Is This Soup or Bisque
Generally speaking, bisque refers to the smooth texture of the soup and the addition of cream. If your tomato basil soup is thoroughly blended and silky smooth, it's bisque.
If you leave chunks of tomato, basil or onion you have created tomato basil soup.
Pro tip: Like a more creamy option? Simply blend Tomato Basil Soup with the hand-held blender for a few extra minutes and you'll have a delicious Tomato Basil Bisque
I've made this recipe both ways. My personal favorite is when it's extra smooth and creamy and bisque-like.
Equipment
As for equipment, it does help a lot if you have an immersion blender.
There's no better way to blend ingredients for soup, than with a hand-held blender.
Other than that, all you'll need is a baking sheet and a large stock pot.
It's easy to think that a made-from-scratch soup is too much work, or would take too much time. That is not the case at all. This recipe is easy to make!
If you enjoy a cozy, warm homemade soup, then you must try this recipe.
Stovetop Directions
Once the tomatoes, onions and garlic are roasted, place them in a large stockpot and add the remaining ingredients - except for the whipping cream, you'll add that later.
Use an immersion blender and combine the ingredients until the soup is smooth and creamy.
If you like a Tomato Basil Soup that's a little chunky, all good! You'll control the texture.
If you like your soup to be smooth and creamy and more like a silky bisque, just use the immersion blender until you get a perfectly smooth consistency.
Simmer the ingredients for about 30 minutes.
Add whipping cream, heat the soup gently (don't boil) then serve.
Top Tips and FAQ
Absolutely. In fact, you'll thank yourself for months to come if you have a few quarts of the soup on hand in the freezer. I recommend allowing the soup to cool slightly, then pouring it into a quart-sized, freezer-safe container.
Be sure to allow at least an inch between the top of the soup and the top of the freezer container, to allow for expansion when the soup freezes.
My hunch is you sure can. But, I've never been lucky enough to have that many fresh tomatoes on hand all at once. If you have success with that please let me know in the comments.
What to Serve with Tomato Basil Soup
Serve with saltine crackers, crusty bread or garlic bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, or a fresh salad. Some delicious side salad options to serve with your soup are:
My family is a big fan of serving grilled cheese sandwiches with this creamy comfort food soup.
Other Recipes Using Tomatoes
Whether canned or fresh, tomatoes are often the centerpiece of classic family favorite recipes. Here are a few that are very popular around my dinner table.
Tomato-Cream Sauce is a simple way to create a homemade tomato sauce any time you need a saucy topping for pasta.
Baked Beef Burritos, this is a recipe that my family requests time and time again, the canned tomatoes are spiced up with a homemade spice mix, plus there's even fresh spinach and black beans. This recipe is a keeper!
Idaho Chili calls for plenty of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. I also include beans in my chili recipe, it's delicious every time.
If you tried Tomato Basil Soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Recipe
Nora says
Your tomato soup turned out perfectly! Ideal after a walk in the cold! Love it!
nancy says
i served this delicious tomato Basil Soup with grilled cheese and the whole family loved it. they loved how thick and flavourful this soup is!
Alexandra says
This soup is so hearty and delicious! It's Summer here in Australia, and we have homegrown Roma tomatoes in abundance - just perfect. Tomato and basil is the best combination of flavours!
Liz McCray says
Can't go wrong with tomato basil soup! This is the perfect idea for the cold and rainy year we've had so far in SoCal!
Chef Dennis says
This Tomato Basil Soup looks so yummy!
Audrey says
I can't wait to try this! It looks amazing.