I make this Roasted Tomato Basil Soup every fall with the tomatoes that we harvest in late summer and early fall. Roasting the tomatoes, as well as the onions and garlic, intensifies the flavours and brings out their sweetness. It’s the beginning of soup season, which I love.
It’s harvest time, and that means we have an abundance of beautiful food to deal with all at once. What better way than soup. As the days get cool, soup is a welcome meal. And it’s so easy to portion up and freeze. This is a rustic soup, so don’t worry if there are some blackened bits after roasting your tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Those will just make this roasted tomato basil soup taste even better!
A Fresh Herb Buying Hint
I have basil tucked into every corner of the garden and it is loving the cooler fall weather here. So three cups of basil is easy for me. If you don’t have a garden though, here’s a hack. Our local grocery store sells little basil (and other herb) plants growing in pots for $1.99. This is less expensive and fresher than the bunches of fresh basil which usually look a little faded. In the winter I buy those. As a bonus, sometimes the plant even keeps growing in my kitchen if I leave a few leaves on.
Canned Tomatoes Can Be Roasted, Too
For this tomato basil soup, I used whatever tomatoes that were in my garden to harvest. So I had mostly Italian plum tomatoes, but I also threw in some golden cherry tomatoes, and a giant heirloom one, plus the late ripening, “early girl” ones. So in other words, use whatever tomatoes you have, and you can even make this super flavourful roasted tomato basil soup in the dead of winter by roasting canned tomatoes.
Want some more delicious, easy homemade soup ideas? If so, give these ones a try: Split Pea Soup; Mushroom Barley Soup, or Sweet Potato Soup with Black Beans & Corn.
This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten, one of my favourite celebrity chefs.
How To Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Roasting tomatoes brings out their flavour in this simple to make and delicious tomato basil soup.
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes cut in half
- 2 onions peeled and quartered
- 1 head of garlic with the top sliced off
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable stock low sodium
- 1 28 oz 796 ml can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice, no salt added
- 3 cups chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish
- Salt & Freshly ground pepper
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Pre heat oven to 400°.
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Cut tomatoes in half
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Toss tomatoes & quartered onions In olive oil and spread in one layer over a baking sheet ( you will probably need two)
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Cut the top off of a head of garlic, drizzle with a little of the oil, and put it onto one of the baking sheets
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Roast everything for about 30 minutes
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Put vegetable stock, canned tomatoes, roasted tomatoes and onions, along with their juices, in a large pot
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Squeeze out the roasted garlic into the soup
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Use an immersion blender to puree right in the pot, or, transfer in batches to a blender or food processor, remembering to open the steam vent.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
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Add chopped fresh basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with more fresh basil.
Most commercial stocks, including vegetable stocks are very high in sodium, so this recipe uses a low sodium stock, and you can also find no salt added stocks if you want even less. Canned tomatoes are also available in "no salt added" versions.
looks fantastic!
We have a ridiculous amount of tomatoes growing this year, so I’ll have to try your soup with!
I think you’ll love it, Starr!
This is my favourite soup and we make loads every hear with all the tomatoes we are growing.
Danielle, isn’t it great to grow your own, and then make something delicious with it?
Love a good roasted tomato soup recipe, so perfect for the upcoming winter months!!
Hi Chris, this soup is also perfect for using the garden tomatoes, too.
This looks such a delicious soup, absolutely perfect for Fall. I love tomato and basil soup!
Hi Bintu, It really is delicious with the basil addition.
Roasting tomatoes gives them the most amazing flavour, I love the sound of this soup!
I agree, Amy. Roasting the tomatoes really ups the flavour ante!
Nothing is better in fall than a bowl of a good tomato soup! Yours sounds delicious 🙂
You are so right Julia! Homemade tomato soup is such a comfort food.
yum! yum! yum! I am so glad fall is almost here. Tomato soup is top on my list, and im sure i would love this version as well!
Hi Mirlene, yes, homemade soup is one of best treats of fall, for me.
Oh my gosh! That color!!!!!!! This sounds so easy and so tasty. As soon as my garden gives me enough tomatoes I want to give this a try. Thanks for sharing such a lovely recipe.
Thanks Jo. This soup really is easy and tasty. Definitely a favourite for us!
Nothing like a good tomato soup recipe, the perfect soup for end of summer all the way into the beginning of spring!
You got it Kristen! Fresh tomato soup takes you through all of those seasons, in such a delicious way.
How perfectly creamy! I just love this soup – such a great meal to put us in the mood for fall! ?
Hi Lily, this soup is so fresh and delicious for summer harvest of tomatoes, too, and I agree, a perfect meal for getting in that fall mode.