This rich and flavorful tomato basil soup, filled with bright basil, roasted Roma tomatoes, roasted garlic, and a hint of spice from red pepper flakes, is unlike any other tomato soup that you've tasted. And it may just become your new favorite.
Tomato Basil Soup, a Fresh Take on a Classic
I love classic tomato soup with its rich, velvety texture and exquisite dip-ability.
It's always been the perfect accompaniment to another classic that I love so very much, the grilled cheese sandwich. The two make for a delicious pairing that soothes and comforts in the best way.
Tomato soup is one of those fairly basic recipes; and on its own, doesn't necessarily have a lot of “oomph” and complex flavor in its traditional preparation. But boy, oh boy, does it have the potential to be over-the-top, ridiculously good when you know the right bells and whistles to add into it.
Enter this delicious tomato basil soup recipe, a fresh take on the classic.
Extra Love and a Few Simple Ingredients for the Best Tomato Basil Soup
Tomatoes pair wonderfully with many ingredients, among those being fresh basil and garlic—especially roasted garlic.
They also benefit from a bit of fiery spice as well, and mingle deliciously with red pepper flakes, which offer just enough heat to give a bit of tingle to the tongue and awaken the tastebuds.
This is the reason that I personally prefer to use fresh tomatoes rather than canned when preparing my tomato basil soup—so much more flavor and depth!
When fresh tomatoes are roasted, their natural sweetness comes out as well as their juiciness.
So using fresh Roma tomatoes roasted with a hint of balsamic, brown sugar and dried herbs as the base for this tomato basil soup, creates an extra level of flavor that is deeply comforting and soothing, and slightly more complex.
Sure, roasting off the tomatoes and the garlic takes a little extra time and effort, but it absolutely makes a world of difference.
I have no doubt that the combination of flavors in this particular tomato basil soup recipe will make it one of your new all-time favorites!
You and your loved ones will most certainly be able to taste the love in every hot spoonful, which is where all of that delectable coziness truly comes from, doesn't it?
Tips & Tidbits for Tomato Basil Soup:
- Fresh Roma tomatoes: Using fresh tomatoes for this soup is key, and Roma tomatoes hold their shape and have a wonderful flavor that really comes out when roasted.
- Roast the garlic heads along side the tomatoes: To roast the garlic, simply prepare it and then place it next to your tomatoes on the baking sheet and roast them together.
- Croutons for added body: Croutons go great with tomato basil soup, and I like to add some in and blend them up to create a bit more body and texture. If you are gluten-free, simply substitute gluten-free croutons, or feel free to leave them out altogether.
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
by Ingrid Beer
Yield: serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients:
• 15 whole Roma Tomatoes
• Olive Oil (7 tablespoons, divided use)
• 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1-2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it!)
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 3 whole heads of garlic (peels left on), plus 2 cloves chopped, divided use
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 (2 ounces each) bunches basil, stems removed, and chopped
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 ½ cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock if making vegetarian
• 1 cup croutons
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with foil.
-Cut the Roma tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons of olive oil as well as the balsamic vinegar and other ingredients up to and including the Italian seasoning to the tomatoes, and toss to coat; add to the baking sheet.
-Cut the tops off of the 3 heads of garlic and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over top of them; wrap the oiled heads tightly in foil, and place them next to the tomatoes on the baking sheet, and roast them together for 45 minutes.
-Once the tomatoes and garlic are roasted, set them aside to cool slightly until they can be handled; then, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their papers, discard papers and set aside the roasted garlic cloves.
-In a medium soup pot set over medium-high heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped onion and the two remaining fresh, chopped garlic cloves; saute them for a couple of minutes, and allow them to become aromatic and translucent; then, add in the tomato paste and the roasted tomatoes (and all of their juice from the baking sheet), along with the roasted garlic cloves, and stir those together; next, add the basil and parsley, along with the chicken stock and the croutons, and allow the soup to gently simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
-To finish the soup, add the grated Parmesan cheese, and using a hand immersion blender (or a regular blender), puree the soup until smooth and completely pureed (if using a blender, work in small batches to puree- be careful to not overfill the blender, as hot soup can splatter); check the salt/pepper, and adjust, if necessary.
-Ladle soup into serving bowls, and enjoy!
For more soup recipe inspiration, check out this Rigatoni Meatball Soup, this Italian Vegetable Soup with Spicy Sausage, and this Hearty Italian Chicken and Autumn Vegetable Soup!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published February 2012 and has been updated with even more love! And new photos!
Janet R
Can we be friends? I like the way you think!
I think I'll be a simple (but elegant) mug along with you! And the soup looks delicious too! 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Yes Janet, let's be "elegant mugs" together!
Londa
Hi Ingrid, I'm going to purchase everything to make this soup today. Can you tell me what kind of croutons you use? Meaning do you use unseasoned, garlic etc..Looking forward to making this!
Thanks
Londa
The Cozy Apron
Hi Londa, so excited you're planning on preparing this soup—hope you enjoy it!
As for the croutons, I use the big, chunky, garlic-y ones from Trader Joe's. They have a sort of buttery, garlic flavor, so if you can find something similar, opt for those since the flavors won't compete with the flavors present in the soup.
Happy cooking, Londa!
Jennie
Ingrid, this looks absolutely delicious. Tomato soup is my all-time favorite soup. I will have to try your recipe. Your photos are beautiful.
Natalie
Wow!
This looks so delicious and I love the presentation of it in a teacup. All I need now is a good movie, a grilled cheese sandwich, and some cold weather to drink this up.
Thank you for posting this I love it. Have a great weekend!
Natalie
Maureen
Ingrid,
I have 8 Roma plants full of tomatoes. Can this recipe be canned prior to adding the cheese?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Maureen, I don't see why not! I think waiting to add the parmesan is a good idea, as you can add when you're ready to heat up. Hope you enjoy!
Happy cooking...and tomato harvesting! 🙂
Beedy
Mouth-watering is all I need to say. Your husband takes fabulous pictures and I love your way with words. Have a blessed weekend.
Beddy
The Cozy Apron
Thank you for your comment, Beddy! I hope that you, too, have a blessed weekend.
Julie
Looks awesome, will definitely be making this soon. Thanks & keep up the great recipes!
Julia {The Roasted Root}
Hi there! I'm new to your blog and I love what I see so far! Your recipes look healthful and I like that you don't make the typical baked good every day 😉 I love making roasted tomato soup and your presentation is beautiful. Love the video! 🙂 Hope you guys are enjoying the weekend!
Shrazzi @ Getting Fresh in the Kitchen
That was profound Ingrid. Love your analogy!
Megan @ ScholasticFood
Yum! This looks fantastic and like a much more refined version of tomato-basil soup! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Villy
Everything is working great! The soup, the photos, the whole blog is fantastic! Nice job!
Courtney @ cucinareconcourtney
I loved this post! This is the first one I have read by you and I'm going to subscribe. I will definitely be making this for the husband and I, and definitely in mugs!
Tisa
This soup will be my dinner tonight. Yum and thank you.
Julia {The Roasted Root}
Hey girly! I would like to reiterate that I love your food site and appreciate the unique spin on adding short videos! I am passing the Versatile Blogger Award to you (see my site for details)! Congrats and I can't wait to see more videos and recipes from you guys!
The Cozy Apron
Thanks, Julia!
Megan @ Country Cleaver
I want to be that garlic toast. It looks like it's sitting in a little tomato soup hot tub. That sounds like the life!!
Dahlia
Lovely in every way possible! Your words are beautiful, as are the photos and of course the recipe. You've got something really special going here. Thanks for inviting me to share it with you.
kat
Love the recipes - thanks! And the videos to go along are great (the music makes me think you're in France or Italy cooking) 🙂
Margaret in NJ
Do you think this recipe will freeze well? I can see making a batch of this in the summer with the farm fresh tomatoes and basil and thawing it out on a cold winter's evening....
The Cozy Apron
Hi Margaret, thanks for the great question. You know, I personally haven't tried freezing this soup yet, but I can't see any reason that it wouldn't be just fine; perhaps try freezing it in heavy-duty zip-lock bags with as much air pressed out as possible, and I think the vibrant flavors of summer should keep beautifully for a cold winter's dinner!
Debs @ The Spanish Wok
It's only 7.30 am and this soup makes me want it now. Great recipe.
Christy
I purchased the ingredients. Can't wait to make this on Wednesday. Love the camera work!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Christy, that's great! Thank you! Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Christy
Your recipe and artistry are divine. My husband and I made this together tonight and agreed that it was the best soup we have ever made/tasted. Definitely the best recipe overall that I've made. We enjoyed it immensely. Thank you so much for sharing.
The Cozy Apron
Christy, thank YOU for sharing. Comments like yours are the reason my husband and I decided to venture jointly into the blogging arena. I can't tell you how much your lovely sentiments mean, and the best part is that both you AND your hubby prepared this together- that truly touched me so much, my friend!
melissa
how many calories are in this per cup?
thecozyapron
Hi Melissa, I really couldn't tell you what the calorie count is, but the good news is that there's no cream- it's a stock-based soup thickened by lots of tasty veggies and other healthy bits with just a touch of Parmesan.
Megan
Wow! I just made this soup, and I must say, it is the best tomato soup I've ever had. Ah-mazing! Thanks for the recipe! I look forward to looking through (and cooking) more of your stuff!
thecozyapron
Megan, I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed your experience making this soup- it's what makes sharing my recipes with others such a joy for me!
Lotta
Another excellent recipe! Roasting the tomatoes and garlic made the whole house smell absolutely amazing!
Initially I doubted the amount of salt, but it turned out to be perfect, not to salty at all. I toned down the fire a little by using only a half tbsp pepper flakes and adding some cream, maybe 1/3 cup.
My 12-year-old kept repeating "Mmm... perfect!" as we were eating. 🙂
thecozyapron
Lotta, that's so great, and again, I appreciate you taking time to comment. Wise that you used only 1/2 tbsp pepper flakes when cooking for your family and children as this is indeed a spicy soup. Isn't it great when kids compliment their mommas on their cooking?
Grant
Just wanted to say that I tried this recipe last night, and it was fantastic. Like Lotta above, I cut back the pepper flakes (roughly in half) because my wife isn't such a fan of spicy food, and it was still too much for her. If you don't want it really spicy (and I say this as a fan of spicy food), I'd go back to about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Also, I may have cut back on the basil a bit too - the "bunch" I get at my farmer's market is quite a bit more than what comes in the package at the grocery store, so I had to estimate, but it looks to be about half of what you used based on your photo. Regardless, the soup came out great, and I say this as someone who normally isn't too fond of tomato soup.
thecozyapron
Grant, sounds like you did a wonderful job adapting things slightly to suit your taste specifically, and I think that's the ideal way to follow a recipe. Job well done — so glad it turned out well for you, and that perhaps now, you'll be more of a fan of tomato soup!
Bonnie
I'm making this soup tonight for a potluck at church, and I was confused by one of the directions. How long are the tomatoes in the oven? Do you add the garlic when the tomatoes have been in for 5 minutes and then cook 40? Or do you cook the tomatoes for 45 minutes, add the garlic, and cook another 40?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Bonnie, yes — you would add in the garlic once the tomatoes have been in for 5 minutes. They pretty much cook together, minus those 5 minutes it roughly takes to prep/foil the garlic heads. Good luck!!
laurie
I made this for dinner tonight! It was so, so yummy! And you aren't kidding when you say "fiery"! We loved it, but those of you who want less heat should cut back on the red pepper flakes. I will definitely make this again, and with full strength pepper flakes!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Laurie, thanks so much for coming back to share your thoughts on the recipe - glad you enjoyed it, "fiery" and all!
Jack Looney
WOW!
Awesome recipe. Followed it to a 'T' and didn't need to adjust the salt n pepper..... I'll be making this again. Good one!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jack, thanks so much - so glad you had a tasty experience with this soup, and that you came back to share it with me!
Britt A
I feel compelled to leave a comment... I make A TON of soups, they're kind of my thing. 😉 I made this soup last week, and my husband said it is his most favorite soup BAR NONE! He thought I made up the recipe and literally exclaimed, "We could open a restaurant on this s**t!"
I also served it the following day to my mother-in-law (with a very sophisticated pallet), and she said it's the best tomato soup she has ever had!
Thank you, thank you! I did have to cut down on the red pepper flakes though. : I couldn't handle the heat, haha.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Britt! Wow - what an awesome comment. Can't tell you how happy I am that you all enjoyed this soup, especially your mother-in-law, since that always scores points, doesn't it? Thank you so very much for taking the time to come back and share your experience with me. (By the way, if you and your hubs like really tasty soups, you gotta try my Oktoberfest Lager Stew recipe - you'll find it under my soup section.) Here's to more soup-making!
April
Hello-
I am wondering if this soup recipe could be canned?
-Thanks
The Cozy Apron
Hi April! I'm no expert when it comes to canning, so I would't know for certain, but I don't see why not. It would be like any other soup.
Joeyman
Fortunately I live less than a mile from a wonderful farm in Central New Jersey. Made this incredible recipe with the local ingredients. Did without the suggested toasts, added some cooked orzo. This soup rocks, wonderful layers of flavors, this soup ROCKS!!!! Thank you for sharing this delicious creation.
The Cozy Apron
Hi there, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! And to use farm-fresh, local ingredients would make it that much more amazing. Thank you so much for taking a moment to share your experience with me—I really appreciate it!
Christine
I love your story. The soup looks delicious and I am going to make it tomorrow.
I know this is a long shot because it's an old post, but could I ask if you remember where you bought your mug.
I have been looking for a new set of basic white mugs and the shape of your mug is perfdct.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Christine, thank you so much for taking me on a walk down memory lane with this oldy-but-goodie recipe! I think you will really love this soup; it’s very cozy, even a touch spicy, which is so nice during these cold months. And about that mug! I’m very happy to tell you where I got it; it’s from Cost Plus World Market. I’m not sure they still have them, but they might as they’re such a classic type of mug. (Funny, I was actually looking at that mug today! I was thinking of using it in a shoot for another soup recipe, but decided to use a bowl....) Please enjoy the recipe, and I hope you find the mug! ❤️
Velva
Tomato soup is brought to a new level when the tomatoes and garlic are roasted. This is beautiful and perfect for summer.
Velva
The Cozy Apron
Thank you, Velva! Much appreciated!
Jennifer
Do I need to remove the skins of the tomatoes after roasting before adding to the pot with onions?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jennifer, you won't need to worry about removing the skins, as they will get pureed right in. Hope you enjoy!
Brad
Made this for dinner tonight and it was outstanding! Will definitely make again.
The Cozy Apron
Hey Brad, that is awesome! I'm so, so happy you enjoyed the recipe, and plan on preparing it again. I know it requires a little extra work, but it all ends up providing a deeper flavor that makes all the difference. Thanks so much for commenting on your experience!
KM
This was the kind of tomato basil soup that I have been craving! I didn't even add the croutons because I didn't have any and it still turned out amazing! My colleague tried it and loved it as well! This is a keeper! I'm looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thanks for posting!
The Cozy Apron
Hey KM, so glad you (and even your colleague) enjoyed the soup!
I'm excited to read that you're planning on giving some of our other recipes a try as well—I think you'll definitely find some that should pique your interest.
Happy cooking, and thank you for commenting!
Vicki
This soup was amazing! Love that the tomatoes and garlic were roasted! Thank you for sharing!
The Cozy Apron
Vicki, that's wonderful! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe, and that you didn't mind the slightly longer process of roasting the tomatoes and garlic, lol... So worth it, right?
I really appreciate you taking some time to comment and share your experience with me, so thank you!
Jamie Henson
Thanks for sharing this soup. It is delicious and have made it several times. Because I like spicy, I add a small amount of cayenne pepper. Bread dipped in the soup is very delicious. I live in the country of Panama and all of the ingredients are readily available.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jamie, so glad!
I love it extra spicy too, and always sprinkle in some red pepper flakes, another tasty option.
And the bread dipped in the soup? Out of this world! 😉
Thank you for sharing.
Jennifer
How many quarts does this make? Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jennifer, I'm going to have to hazard a guess here, but I'd say about 2 1/2 quarts.
Bella
I've made this twice now and it's absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!!
The second time I made it, I accidentally added twice as much stock as I needed and I didn't have tomato paste. I was really worried about the final product but I let it simmer for a little over an hour to reduce some of the liquid, pureed and it was perfect (albeit a little less thick than last time.)
The Cozy Apron
Bella, so glad you've been enjoying the soup!
Even though you added a bit more stock, seems to me you nimbly rescued the soup, reducing it down a bit...brilliant!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with this recipe!