Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (Printable)

Oven-roasted tomatoes and fresh basil create this silky, aromatic Italian soup perfect for cozy dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Vegetables

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large yellow onion, quartered
03 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled
04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Soup Base

07 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional

→ Garnish

11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche, optional
12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Croutons or toasted bread, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange halved tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized and onions are tender.
04 - Transfer roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices to a large pot. Add vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
05 - Stir in fresh basil leaves, butter, and sugar if using. Simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors.
06 - Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches in a countertop blender and return to pot.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. For a silkier texture, strain soup through a fine sieve.
08 - Serve hot, drizzled with cream and garnished with fresh basil leaves and croutons or toasted bread if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The roasting process transforms ordinary tomatoes into something deeply sweet and complex, like sunshine captured in a bowl
  • Its incredibly forgiving, you can roast the vegetables ahead of time and blend everything together in under ten minutes when youre ready to eat
02 -
  • I once skipped straining the soup and regretted it because the tomato skins left a grainy texture that really distracted from how silky it could be
  • Adding that optional butter at the end makes a huge difference in mouthfeel, making the soup taste much more expensive than it actually is
03 -
  • Roast the vegetables a day ahead and keep them in the refrigerator, then just add broth and blend when youre ready to eat
  • If your tomatoes arent very sweet, dont skip the sugar, it really helps balance everything and brings forward the natural tomato flavor
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