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Easy Homemade Roasted Tomato Basil Soup from Garden

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This easy homemade roasted tomato basil soup from garden tomatoes is a velvety, rich soup that tastes like summer concentrated into a bowl. Roasting tomatoes whole saves time, deepens flavor, and creates a soup so delicious it converts even tomato-haters.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds fresh tomatoes, any variety (about 8–10 medium or 12–15 smaller)
  • 1 head garlic, top sliced off to expose cloves
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, plus extra for garnish
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegetarian)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or a pinch of sugar, to balance acidity

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the middle. Wash tomatoes and pat dry. Leave them whole—no chopping, peeling, or seeding. Remove any stems or leaves.
  2. Place whole tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Slice the top off the head of garlic and place it cut-side down on the sheet among the tomatoes. Drizzle everything with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently with hands to coat evenly.
  3. Roast for 40-45 minutes until tomato skins have split, blistered, and started to char in spots. Garlic should feel soft when squeezed gently through the paper.
  4. While tomatoes roast, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until translucent and starting to brown at edges. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Once tomatoes are done, let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from the bottom into the pot with onions. Discard empty papery skins.
  6. Using a spatula, scrape entire contents of baking sheet—tomatoes, juices, and all—into the pot with onions and garlic. Add fresh basil leaves and pour in vegetable broth.
  7. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend until silky, about 1-2 minutes. If using a countertop blender, work in batches, filling pitcher no more than halfway. Hold lid down with a folded kitchen towel and blend each batch until smooth, then return to pot.
  9. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust: add balsamic vinegar or a pinch of sugar if flat; thin with more broth or water if too thick; simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes if too thin.
  10. Serve hot, ladled into bowls. Finish each with a drizzle of good olive oil and a few torn basil leaves. Add a crack of fresh black pepper if desired.

Notes

Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet—give tomatoes breathing room to roast properly. Always slice the top off the garlic head before roasting. Let tomatoes cool slightly before blending to avoid dangerous hot liquid splashes. Taste tomatoes before roasting; if bland, add a tablespoon of tomato paste during sauté step. Add basil during simmer step, not before, to preserve its bright flavor. Soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: roasted tomato basil soup, garden tomatoes, easy tomato soup, homemade tomato soup, vegan tomato soup, gluten-free tomato soup, summer soup

Find it online: https://bakebelle.com/easy-homemade-roasted-tomato-basil-soup-from-garden/