This easy roasted tomato soup recipe gets its incredible flavor from roasting the tomatoes with onion and whole garlic cloves.
When we’re overflowing with tomatoes, this roasted tomato soup with garlic and basil is our go-to. Roasting transforms the tomatoes, making them incredibly sweet and flavorful (it’s the perfect way to use them).
We roast our tomatoes in a hot oven for half an hour. Then, we blend them with a few simple ingredients to create one of our favorite soups!
Key Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes: Use whatever you’ve got! Roasting concentrates the flavor, making this soup great for using less-than-perfect tomatoes. In the summer, I love a mix of heirlooms, cherry, and plum tomatoes for extra sweetness. For a recipe using canned tomatoes, try our popular three ingredient tomato soup (delicious!)
- Onion and Garlic: Roast these alongside the tomatoes. Roasted garlic adds a delicious richness, while the onion becomes sweet and tender.
- Broth: For a vegetarian option, choose veggie broth. You can also use your favorite chicken broth or stock. For even more tomato flavor, try homemade tomato broth.
- Fresh basil: It wouldn’t be tomato basil soup without it! Blend in a generous cup of fresh basil leaves for that classic flavor. For another tomato-basil recipe, try our fresh tomato bruschetta.
- Cream and butter: These make a smooth and creamy texture. I like just 1/4 cup of cream (enough to balance the acidity without being too rich). (See the recipe notes for vegan options!)
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
Tip 1: Roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic. To make the best roasted tomato soup, we roast fresh tomatoes, quartered onions, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. The tomatoes soften, burst, and release their delicious juices.
Tip 2: Simmer for more flavor. When the tomatoes have finished roasting, we transfer everything to a soup pot with some broth and a couple of tablespoons of butter. The soup simmers for about half an hour.
Tip 3: Finish with cream and basil. We blend the soup with fresh basil until it’s rich and creamy. Then, a splash of cream at the end makes our soup extra creamy and balances the tomatoes acidity.
Serving Suggestions
It’s impossible to serve this soup without grilled cheese sandwiches in our house (Adam’s request!). I also love dunking crusty bread, garlic focaccia bread, or freshly made garlic bread into it. You can also top this soup with croutons, store-bought or homemade.
Salads are great with soup. Try our favorite Greek salad, this good-for-you quinoa salad, or our easy tomato salad. For some sandwich options, try this vegetarian-friendly smashed chickpea sandwich. I also love tuna salad sandwiches and this avocado egg salad sandwich.
More Roasted Tomato Recipes
- Garlic Roasted Tomatoes
- Easy Roasted Tomato Salsa
- Roasted Tomatoes with Ricotta and Mint
- Roasted Tomato Gazpacho
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Whether you have an abundance of peak summer tomatoes or the less flavorful ones found in winter, this roasted tomato soup with garlic and basil is the perfect solution. Roasting transforms even lackluster tomatoes, bringing out their sweetness and creating a delicious base for the soup.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
3 pounds fresh tomatoes, try a mix of tomatoes like heirlooms, cherry, vine, or plum tomatoes
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
⅓ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for a bit of heat
1 cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup heavy cream, see our tips for using non-dairy or lower fat milk
Directions
- Roast Tomatoes
1Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
2Cherry or grape tomatoes can be left whole. For larger tomatoes, core and cut them into halves, or if they are large, cut them into quarters.
3Spread the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet (see notes for pan suggestions). Pour over the olive oil, and then season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Toss well.
4Roast the tomatoes until they soften, burst, and release some of their juices, 20 to 30 minutes. Some tomatoes will be caramelized and brown in spots.
- Make Soup
1Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and all the pan juices to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Place the pot over medium-high heat.
2Stir in the broth, butter, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using), and then bring to a simmer. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes.
3Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves, and then blend the soup until smooth. An immersion blender is the easiest, or you can use a blender. When using a regular blender, work in smaller batches, and don’t fill it too high – hot soup expands! For safety, remove the lid’s center insert and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending. This releases steam and prevents messy splatters.
4Taste the soup, and then add salt and pepper until the flavor pops — it should make you smile. Finally, stir in the cream and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Milk as a Substitute: While you can use milk instead of cream, be aware that tomato soup can be acidic and might cause curdling. To prevent this, stir in ½ teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acidity before adding the milk.
- My soup is too acidic: If your soup is too tart, try adding ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda to balance the flavors. Cream also helps with this.
- Vegan Tomato Soup: Our recipe is easily adaptable! Substitute vegan butter for regular butter and use cashew cream (here’s our recipe) or full-fat coconut milk instead of cream. Coconut milk adds a slightly nutty flavor but works well.
- Roasting Pan Tip: Tomatoes are acidic, so avoid aluminum pans. For best results, opt for anodized aluminum, ceramic-coated, or glass baking dishes.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
This has become my favourite go-to recipe for tomato soup! Delicious!
I’ve made this several times and it’s so good! Question: if I don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, can I use canned whole peeled tomatoes? Thanks!
This was so easy to make and its so yummy recommend you try it out
So glad you tried the recipe, Trisha. Thanks for coming back!
Hi Laura, Yes, you can use canned whole peeled tomatoes. They work really well. Just drain off some of the extra liquid so the sauce doesn’t get too thin, then continue with the recipe as written. The flavor is still excellent. Let me know how it turns out!
Yum, yum, yum! The roasting added a depth of flavor that made me want to turn around and make it again! I chose not to add cream and did not miss it. It was wonderful!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed your soup 🙂
First time of making home made tomato soup, delicious recipe, didn’t have red pepper flakes so roasted a couple of home grown red chillies with the tomatoes and onions and it certainly gave it a bit of a kick! Will definitely make again using up a glut of home grown sweet cherry tomatoes.
Hi Christine, Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe. That’s a brilliant idea to use fresh chillies from your garden—that extra kick sounds delicious. Using homegrown produce always makes a dish extra special, and we bet it will be fantastic with sweet cherry tomatoes. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sounds like a good recipe. Wondering if you would be able to can it.
Hi Eileen, That’s a great question. While you can can some tomato products, this specific soup recipe isn’t designed for safe home canning. For that reason, we recommend freezing the soup instead. It freezes beautifully and is a much safer way to store it for a longer period of time.
Delicious! Easy to make. I agree with other comments…a good way to use up our home grown tomatoes and basil. We did strain it to remove the seeds. We are not canned tomato soup fans. This however is so much better!
This was literally the best tomato soup I have ever had! Used up my garden produce in such a delicious way!
We loved this and I did use a variety of tomatoes- Heirloom, Roma, Vine and Sweet 100 Cherry – simple and easy and very delicious. The tomatoes, onions and garlic smelled wonderful roasting too!!
That sounds delicious! We are so happy you loved your soup 🙂
If we want to freeze the soup, would it be better to add the cream when it’s heated to eat in the winter instead of freezing with the cream already added?
Hi Denise, Yes! That’s a fantastic plan.
This soup is fabulous! Can you please tell me the best way to freeze it and the freezer shelf life. Hoping to keep a few batches in the freezer for the colder months. Thank you.
Yay! You can store your soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Haven’t made this soup yet but certainly want to. Question – Can I make this ahead and refrigerate for a day or two than reheat and serve?
Hi Debbie, Yes, this soup is perfect for making ahead! It will hold up beautifully in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just be sure to let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, you can easily reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. Enjoy!
Wow! Awesome! I halved the recipe, because I have a family of 2. And I did not have cream, so substituted with double cream yoghurt. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the finest details. Because I did not know hou yoghurt will react, I played it safe and opted for the backing soda trick. And I opted to include the chili flakes. Everything was perfect! Served it with an easy to bake onion and cheese loaf. Definitely a recipe I will make again
The ingredients mention cream or milk, I don’t see anywhere in the directions when I should add that, have I missed something?
Hi Steve, You add the cream in the last step of the recipe (right before serving).
Perfect tomato soup! This was easy and so flavorful. I used a mix of heirloom and cherry tomatoes. Served to friends who raved!
Thanks fr this lovely rustic tomato soup.I added a pinch of cumin n kashmiri chilli powder as I did not have any basil on hand.It was very tasty and a kick.
Husband lined this soup for myself it just reminded me of marinara sauce. Tasty
My first attempt at tomato soup, have many others and this one will be added to my list of soups, though I don’t think it needs the fresh cream, but that’s just my opinion, thanks for the recipe
That’s fantastic to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tomato soup recipe. It’s true, the cream is definitely optional, but it adds a touch of richness for sure!
Beautiful soup! I cleaned out the greenhouse today and had a bunch of ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. Thanks!
OMG. So good! And so easy! It absolutely demanded thick crusty bread, though, and I didn’t have any! I did have some really great sharp white cheddar, though, so I cut up some crouton- sized bits and tossed them in. Day saved! This soup is definitely on rotation, now!
I just sat down with a bowl of this soup. It’s so delicious. I was too lazy to go out and pick some basil, so I used one tsp. Of dried. Next time, I will use fresh.
Love this very easy recipe. SO delicious. I use a tspn. of red pepper flakes as the tomatoes are roasting. It’s divine.
Amazing soup, so delicious. Bravo! Although I think this should be named Roasted Tomato “Bisque” Soup! It’s smooth and creamy. Thank you so very much!
Such a great soup! Easy to follow and it is wonderful!! I’ve made it twice in the last month and it has been delicious each time! Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
I made this soup the other week and it was fabulous! Quick, easy and a lot of flavour. Great way to use garden tomatoes. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
That’s wonderful, Kim. We are thrilled you enjoyed it.
I don’t have fresh basil…would dried work
Hi there, You can use dried basil, I’d start with 1 teaspoon and go from there based on flavor.
Can you freeze this in ziplocks before you put the cream in?
Yes, that is a great idea.
Hi I did not see any place where you skinned the tomatoes? Do you just leave the skins on? Mary
Hi Mary, You are correct, we leave the skins on for this soup.
Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I literally never comment on recipe blogs, but this tomato soup was so easy and tasty. It doesn’t absolutely need cream, which is nice if you don’t have any on hand (but the cream definitely adds some richness).
One of the best soups I’ve ever made. Followed the recipe exactly as provided and it was absolutely delicious! Definately a keeper.
This soup is fabulous! We had so many tomatoes from our garden and this soup was a perfect way to try something new. I substituted a dollop of Crème fraîche for the cream and made grilled cheese as seen in the photo – DIVINE! Thank you for this tasty recipe, we will definitely make this again.
This recipe is amazing! Making my second double batch and I plan to pressure can this. Do you have any tips on canning it?
Hi Sherrie, We are thrilled that you enjoy the soup so much! I don’t have specific tips for canning the soup. I’d take a look at canning blogs and websites for guidance.
Excellent tomato soup flavour! Thanks for the recipe. I have just finished making soup per your instructions and we are enjoying it very much. Would it be possible to make to step 3 and freeze without losing too much of the delicious flavour?
Thanks for posting recipe.
Hi Julie, We are thrilled that you enjoyed the soup. Yes, you can absolutely freeze either the roasted tomatoes/onions/garlic with their juices or can freeze the soup once its made.