This Tomato Basil Soup Recipe is savory and hearty. Roasting fresh tomatoes, onions, and garlic gives it a rich, deep flavor. This tasty homemade soup easily beats canned options.
author’s note
Tomato Basil Soup Done Right!
Tomato Basil Soup is a big hit in my house. My little boys ask for it all the time, right along with my One Pot Spaghetti. It’s not a complicated recipe, but it does take a little extra time since we roast the veggies and let the soup simmer. The payoff is worth it though. Fresh tomatoes and basil give it incredible depth of flavor, and it’s hands down the best Tomato Basil Soup I’ve ever made.
If you’re short on time or fresh produce, I’ve got you covered with my Easy Tomato Soup recipe. Save that one for busy nights when roasting isn’t in the cards.
But if you’ve got the time and fresh ingredients, you’re in for a rich, flavorful bowl of Tomato Basil Soup that’s worth every minute.
Ingredients
Since this soup has few ingredients, use the best you can find.
- Tomatoes: Fresh, ripe Campari or cocktail are best. For canned, choose San Marzano whole tomatoes.
- Stock: High-quality chicken stock like Swanson® or vegetable stock for vegetarian.
- Basil: Use plenty of fresh basil. Dried will not compare.
- Olive Oil: Good extra virgin olive oil means better flavor.
And, while not technically an ingredient in this soup, don’t underestimate the addition of good, crusty baguette to dip in this soup!
No Heavy Cream?
The base of this soup is roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Then I add in even more tomatoes, herbs, and chicken stock. So, this recipe does not call for heavy cream, milk, or cheese.
Even without these additions, you’ll be amazed just how creamy, thick, and hearty this soup is!
That said, any of those ingredients are easy to add if you prefer your tomato basil soup a little richer. A drizzle of heavy cream can be added as a garnish for soup bowls and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on individual bowls adds a nice touch.
How To Make Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
- Prep: Pre-heat the oven. Halve tomatoes, chop onions, and place on a baking sheet. Wrap garlic head in foil with olive oil and add to the tray.
- Roast: Drizzle tomatoes and onions with oil, season, and roast until soft and browned.
- Cook: In a large pot, melt butter with oil. Add canned tomatoes, paste, stock, basil, roasted veggies, and squeezed garlic. Season.
- Simmer: Boil, then simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Blend: Carefully blend until smooth.
Featured Comment
“My FAVORITE tomato soup recipe of all time!!! So delicious, creamy (without using cream), and FRESH. Not too heavy with creams, etc.”
– Samantha
Tomato Basil Soup Tips
- Add a pinch of sugar to balance acidity if tomatoes are very tart.
- Season well with plenty of salt and pepper for the best flavor.
- Blend in batches starting low to avoid splashes. For smooth soup, use a blender. For chunky, use an immersion blender.
- Adjust garlic to taste. Add slowly if sensitive and more at the end for extra flavor.
Storage
- How to reheat: Add Tomato Basil Soup to a small pot and heat over low heat until hot. Or reheat in the microwave–make sure to cover it so it doesn’t splatter!
- This soup stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days. It will freeze well for up to 3 months. Here are some best methods for thawing frozen soup.
What To Serve With Tomato Basil Soup:
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ripe tomatoes I prefer campari/cocktail
- 2 large yellow onions
- 1 head garlic
- 6 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes undrained (I love Cento San Marzano)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves packed when measured, see note 1
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 (32-ounce) carton chicken stock I prefer Swanson’s
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Hearty buttered bread optional
- Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and arrange on a large (15×21-inch) sheet pan (or two smaller sheet pans). Quarter the onions and add to the pan(s).
- Peel the outer layers of the garlic bulb, leaving the clove skins intact. Cut off 1/4 inch from the top of the cloves, drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and place on the sheet pan with the tomatoes and onions.
- Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over the tomatoes and onions, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, toss to coat, and spread in an even layer. Roast 40–45 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
- In a large stockpot or cast iron pot, heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until butter melts. Add can of tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring 2–3 minutes. Mix in chicken stock, oregano, optional red pepper flakes, thyme, and fresh basil. Incorporate roasted tomatoes and onions with all their juices. Let garlic cool slightly, then squeeze out the cloves from their skins and add 6–9 cloves to the soup, depending on your taste. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, or adjust to taste.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 40 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture in 3–4 batches to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth (see note 2). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If tomatoes are too acidic, add a teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- If desired, serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and hearty buttered bread. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Used your recipe as the base of our roasted tomato basil soup that we love! Have it fresh and can for later with the hot water bath method. A print copy with modifications has been in our go-to gardening recipes. Definitely a 5-star, print it kinda recipe here!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Leona! 🙂
Love this! I bought a bunch of camparis on sale last year and found this recipe when I wound up with more than I needed (I was going to split them with a friend but that didn’t pan out, lol). It’s absolutely delicious! I didn’t add as much basil as the recipe calls for because I misunderstood how many packets I’d need, but I think it came out basil-y enough anyway. I’m making it again this year and adding some roasted red peppers to the mix for some additional depth!
YAY! So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kai! 🙂
I made this yesterday and it is delicious. I did
find an error I thought you should know
about.
Next to keyword it says Crockpot tom. basil
soup???
I use all fresh tomatoes for this. Instead of canned tomatoes and paste, I scald and skin romas and chop them. So so good. I grow my own garlic and basil, so a great way to use my own produce!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Jan! 🙂
I am going to make this tonight but I am going to add cheese tortolini’s as well. I was curious if you have played around with this to make it a creamy tom basil soup by using heavy cream?
That sounds amazing! I can’t wait to hear how it went! I do have a tomato soup recipe on my blog with heavy cream if you want to check it out: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/tomato-soup/!
My FAVORITE tomato soup recipe of all time!!! So delicious, creamy (without using cream), and FRESH. Not too heavy with creams, etc. I feel sick after eating a soup made with heavy cream. I love to add a roasted red pepper as well, but don’t change anything else, it’s perfect! Pair with a cheddar, Gruyère, basil grilled cheese—YUM.
I am so thrilled to hear this! YUMMM! Thanks Samantha! 🙂
Have you or any of your followers used ghee to replace the unsalted butter? If so, curious what difference it made in taste, flavor, consistency, etc? Thank you and look forward to making this recipe.
I haven’t, sorry Chip! Hopefully someone else can chime in for you!