Tomato basil soup became one of my favorite ways to use all the tomatoes and fresh basil I grew in my garden last year. Growing tomatoes where I live can be a little nerve-racking because the weather is so hit or miss. I spent a lot of time watching the forecast and trying to figure out when it was safe to plant without another frost coming along and killing everything.
There were several nights when I had to go outside and cover my plants because temperatures were dropping again. So when those tomatoes finally started ripening, I wanted to make the most of every one of them.
I knew I wanted to make homemade soups, and that’s how this roasted tomato basil soup came about.
This is also a very “me” kind of recipe because I rarely measure when I’m making something like this. I tend to add a little of this and a little of that until it tastes right. I’ve made this soup enough times that I’ve put measurements to everything so you have a good starting point, but please don’t feel like you have to be exact.
That’s part of what I love about this recipe.
Why I Roast the Vegetables for My Tomato Basil Soup
I usually make a big batch of tomato basil soup using two large cookie sheets.
On one sheet, I put as many tomatoes as I can comfortably fit. I actually like to use a mixture of whatever tomatoes I have from the garden, rather than sticking with just one variety. I’ll use larger tomatoes along with cherry tomatoes in different colors. I love the combination, and it’s also a great way to use whatever happens to be ripe that day. For an actual measurement, about 4 pounds of ripe tomatoes is a good place to start.
On the second sheet, I put two sweet onions cut into quarters, two heads of peeled garlic cloves, and one large peeled and sliced carrot.
The carrot adds a little natural sweetness, which I especially like with fresh tomatoes.
Then I generously drizzle everything with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper, and roast it at 400°F for about 45 minutes.
Roasting the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and carrot gives this tomato basil soup so much flavor without needing a long list of seasonings.
I usually use the already peeled garlic from Costco because it’s easy. If you’re using whole heads of garlic, you can cut the tops off, place each head on a small piece of foil, drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it loosely, and roast it alongside the vegetables.
Don’t leave behind the juices on your pans either. I add those to the soup too.
Blending the Tomato Basil Soup
Once the vegetables are roasted, I transfer them to my Vitamix 5200 and blend everything until smooth.
You may need to work in batches depending on how much your vegetables cook down. Always follow your blender manufacturer’s directions when blending hot foods.
Because I grow my own basil, I’m pretty generous with it. I add about 2 packed cups of fresh basil leaves and continue blending until the tomato basil soup is smooth.
If you like little pieces of basil in your soup, just stop blending a little sooner.
I pour everything into a large pot and add one 32-ounce container of Kirkland chicken stock, or about 4 cups. I recommend starting with a little less stock and adding more until the soup is the consistency you like.
Then I add a few drops of my favorite hot sauce. I’m not trying to make the soup spicy. It just gives it a little extra flavor.
If I used the soup setting on my Vitamix and the soup is already hot, it may not need much additional heating. Otherwise, I warm it on the stove until it’s ready to serve.
You can also make this recipe with another high-powered blender or an immersion blender. It may have a slightly different texture, but it will still taste delicious.
Homemade Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Makes: Approximately 10 to 12 cups
Servings: About 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
- About 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably a mixture of varieties and sizes, including colorful cherry tomatoes
- 2 large sweet onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 heads garlic, peeled (about 20 to 24 cloves)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- About 1/3 cup olive oil, or enough to generously drizzle over the vegetables
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock (I use Kirkland)
- A few drops of your favorite hot sauce, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Arrange the sliced larger tomatoes and whole or halved cherry tomatoes on a large rimmed cookie sheet. Place the quartered onions, garlic, and sliced carrot on a second rimmed cookie sheet.
- Generously drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes and vegetables are very soft and beginning to brown around the edges.
- Carefully transfer the roasted vegetables and the juices from the pans to a high-powered blender. Work in batches if necessary.
- Blend until smooth, then add the fresh basil. Continue blending until the soup reaches the consistency you like.
- Pour the blended tomato basil soup into a large pot.
- Stir in 3 cups of chicken stock to start. Add more, up to 4 cups, until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
- Add a few drops of hot sauce. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed.
- Heat gently on the stove until the soup reaches your desired serving temperature.
- Serve warm with bread, a salad, or our favorite, grilled cheese.
Freeze-Drying Tomato Basil Soup
One of the reasons I originally wanted to make soup with my garden tomatoes was because I own a freeze dryer.
This tomato basil soup turned out to be wonderful for that.
We’ve taken the freeze-dried soup with us on trips, and it is absolutely delicious when it’s reconstituted. Pair it with freeze-dried grilled cheese bites and you’ve got a full meal that we really enjoy.
If you’re planning to freeze-dry your soup, follow the instructions from your freeze dryer’s manufacturer for preparing, freeze-drying, testing, packaging, storing, and reconstituting your food.
If you’re simply storing leftover tomato basil soup in the refrigerator, cool and refrigerate it promptly in a covered container. The USDA recommends using most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
You can also freeze this soup for later. Since my recipe doesn’t contain cream, it freezes very well.
What to Serve With Tomato Basil Soup
Around our house, tomato basil soup and grilled cheese just belong together.
There’s something about dipping a crispy grilled cheese sandwich into a bowl of warm soup that makes such a simple meal feel like comfort food.
You can also serve it with crusty bread, garlic bread, crackers, a simple salad, or your favorite sandwich.
And remember, this isn’t a recipe where you need to worry about getting every measurement perfect.
Your tomatoes may be juicier than mine. Your basil may have a stronger flavor. You may love garlic and decide to add even more. Start with the recipe and then make it your own.
That’s how this tomato basil soup came about in the first place. I had tomatoes and basil growing in my garden, started adding things that sounded good, and ended up with a soup my family loves.
Sometimes those are the recipes that become my favorites.
Making every house feel a little more like home.
