Homemade oven roasted tomato basil soup is a delicious addition to your meals this fall. Made with garden fresh tomatoes, this recipe will not disappoint!
Gardening season may be winding down but my tomato plant is currently at its peak. I cannot believe how huge it has gotten!! Seriously, it’s taking over my garden. On the bright side, I have an abundance of tomatoes to work with. There’s no shortage of things you can do with them. Slice up a few fresh tomatoes to add to your side salad for dinner. Or, make it a whole entree for lunch. Maybe you have a free day and want to do some canning or make some homemade pasta sauce. The options are endless!
All of that sounds amazing, but I’ve been craving comfort foods. Pennsylvania has been experiencing some cooler weather which means it’s soup season! Tomato basil soup is on the top of the list. Serving it with warm, homemade bread or a melty grilled cheese sounds incredibly satisfying. Another great soup option is creamy sausage tortellini soup. Mmm, so good!!
Now, if you don’t have garden access to fresh tomatoes, don’t worry! This recipe will be just as delicious with your locally store-bought tomatoes. Depending on which kind of tomato you choose the flavor may vary just a little. Ultimately, the outcomes will be very similar.
For this recipe I used a mix of tomatoes from my garden and a pack of plum tomatoes from the farmer’s market. Plum and roma varieties are great options because their flavor after roasting is so good. Another affordable option is to use canned tomatoes. I don’t include those in this recipe. However, you can easily add them in and make it your own!
Why you will love this oven-roasted tomato basil soup recipe:
It’s super simple to make. Don’t be intimidated by the long cooking time. Much of it is hands off and easy for you! Just let the soup do its thing and wait for this super simple meal to come together.
There is high nutritional value in tomatoes. Tomatoes are full of nutrients and plant compounds. They are high in vitamin c and antioxidants. They may help fight against cancer and heart disease amongst their many other benefits!
It’s preserving your tomato harvest. Sometimes it can feel like there’s an overflow of produce in our gardens. This is a great way to use up all that we’ve grown and ensure it doesn’t go to waste!
Soup can be saved for later. This isn’t a once and done meal. I save my leftovers and either keep them in the fridge for up to a week or store in the freezer for later.
Tips for making tomato soup:
Make sure you use a deep dutch oven or pot. Using an immersion blender like I did can be messy so make sure your soup pot is a deep one. Otherwise, use a blender to mix up your soup!
Get the best flavor by tasting as you go. Depending on what kinds of tomatoes you use the flavor may vary slightly. Also, you have your own personal preference so don’t be afraid to make changes as needed. This is meant to fit your needs and your families preferences.
Use fresh basil leaves rather than dried. I’m not saying your soup won’t be good with dried basil. But, I am saying that your soup will be even better with fresh basil leaves. The flavor is much richer and adds an extra zing to the soup!
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Ingredients
- Tomatoes– Fresh tomatoes from your garden or a local farmer’s market are ideal. Although, you can use store bought tomatoes and still have a wonderful end result.
- Purple and yellow onion
- Chicken or vegetable broth– either one will suit. You could also use water.
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- Fresh basil leaves
- Heavy cream
- Honey or brown sugar– You can also use white sugar. I like honey as a natural sweetener.
- Shredded parmesan (optional)
- Olive oil
- Whole head of garlic
Tools you may need:
Immersion blender
FAQ
Is tomato basil soup good for you?
Yes! Tomato basil soup is highly nutritious. Tomatoes are high in antioxidants which can lead to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Basil is full of vitamins, minerals and can help fight depression as well as inflammation in the body.
What does tomato soup pair well with?
- grilled cheese
- caesar salad
- sourdough bread
- roasted vegetables
- stuffed bell peppers
- steamed green beans with pecans
What can I serve with soup instead of bread?
Some alternatives to serving bread with soup are caesar salad, roasted veggies, stuffed peppers, steamed green beans and steamed peas.
How To Make Tomato Basil Soup
First, you’ll need to gather your ingredients and be sure to wash all tomatoes. For the most effective roast, slice your tomatoes into halves. Also, cut the purple onion into chunks. Save the yellow onion for caramelizing in a few steps! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Once all that is done then place tomatoes and the onion on an aluminum-lined baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper. Add the whole head of garlic with 1/4 chopped off the top as well. This gets baked at 400 for 30-40 minutes. You’ll want the onion and garlic slightly browned while the tomatoes should be blistering.
Here’s where the caramelizing comes into play. Take the yellow onion and thinly slice. Heat up olive oil in a deep dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add in your yellow onion slices and cook until they are a beautiful golden color. This really adds delicious flavor to the soup! You can set them on a plate lined with a paper towel to get rid of any excess oils.
Next, add the tomatoes, garlic (squeeze softened onion out of its skin) and onion to the dutch oven. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, although it will still be slightly chunky and on the thicker side. After that, add in chicken broth and basil and blend yet again. Add more chicken broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
Finally, add in heavy cream, salt, pepper, oregano and honey. Make sure you combine this well and bring to a low boil. Allow it to simmer for 30 minutes or more!
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this is alongside a melty grilled cheese. It pairs just as nicely with some warm homemade bread or a garden-fresh salad!! You’ll enjoy this countless times throughout the fall and winter months.
Oven Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
This oven roasted tomato basil soup made with fresh tomatoes straight from your garden is a perfect option for the fall and winter months! Served with a grilled cheese or fresh bread, this recipe is sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- A large basket's worth of garden-fresh tomatoes halved
- 8 or 9 plum tomatoes halved
- 1 whole head of garlic with 1/4 inch cut off the top
- 1/2 purple onion cut into chunks
- olive oil
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 Cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 TBS honey or brown sugar
- Shredded parmesan (optional)
For the Caramelized Onions
- 4 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Thoroughly wash the tomatoes and remove any rotten spots.
- Arrange your halved tomatoes, garlic and purple onion on the baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and generously season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until the onion and garlic are softened and tomatoes are blistering.
- In the meantime, thinly slice 1/2 yellow onion and heat up 4 TBS olive oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion slices to the hot dutch oven and stir to coat in olive oil. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are a golden, caramelized color. Roughly 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and place them on a plate with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- To the same dutch oven add roasted tomatoes, garlic (squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of the skin), onion and caramelized onion. Use an immersion blender to puree.
- Add in chicken broth and basil. Blend until mostly smooth or desired texture.
- Finally, add heavy cream, salt, pepper, oregano and honey. Stir well and bring to a low boil.
- Let simmer for 30 minutes or more to allow the flavors to mix well. Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve with warm homemade bread. Enjoy!!
Notes
- If you're using an immersion blender like I did, make sure to use a deep stock pot or dutch oven because this can get quite messy.
- The longer you simmer the more flavor you'll get in your soup. Personally, I think the flavor is even better the next day!
- You can freeze this as a meal option for a later date. Just make the recipe as is, allow to fully cool and then put in a freezer-safe container. You can also use gallon bags to optimize freezer space.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 306Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 594mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
If you make this recipe, be sure to tell us how you like it by leaving a comment below and don’t forget to join our homemaking community for more recipe ideas as well as homemaking inspiration!!
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