Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (Print Version)

Silky smooth Italian-style soup with caramelized roasted tomatoes, aromatic garlic, and fresh basil for ultimate comfort.

# 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange halved tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on the 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 all pan 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 meld flavors.
06 - Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches using 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 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Drizzle with cream and garnish with fresh basil leaves and croutons or toasted bread if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The caramelization happens in your oven while you do other things, making this feel less like cooking and more like magic.
  • One taste and you'll understand why roasting transforms tomatoes into something unrecognizable and infinitely better than the raw version.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step or use canned tomatoes expecting the same result; the whole point is that oven heat transforms tomatoes into something concentrated and caramelized that simmering never achieves.
  • Taste the soup before adding the optional sugar or butter—sometimes your tomatoes are already perfect, and extra additions would only muddy what's already beautiful.
03 -
  • Save every drop of liquid that pools on your baking sheet after roasting; that's concentrated tomato juice and flavor you don't want to lose.
  • If you own an immersion blender, this is the recipe that justifies keeping it within arm's reach of your stove—the difference between chunky and velvety is seconds of blending.
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