Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
This rich and silky Roasted Tomato Basil Soup gets its subtly sweet, roasted flavor from a whole head of garlic and an onion that caramelize in the oven with fresh roma tomatoes. Canned San Marzanos and fresh basil round it out, so it tastes like peak summer any time of year. One sheet pan, only 20 minutes of hands-on time, and dinner is done!
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds roma tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion quartered
- 1 medium head garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ cup vegetable broth see note
- 1 ounce fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and seeds. Place cut side up on the prepared baking sheet.
- Trim ½ inch off the pointed end of the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Add the head of garlic cut side up and the quartered onion to the baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes, garlic, and onion with the olive oil, rubbing it into the flesh of the tomatoes and the exposed garlic cloves and tossing the onion to coat. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Flip the tomatoes so they are skin side up. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tomato skins begin to blister and separate from the flesh and the garlic is soft and golden.
- Let the vegetables cool for 5 minutes, then peel and discard the tomato skins. Add the tomatoes and onion to a large high-speed blender, squeezing the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into the blender. Blend for 30 seconds, or until mostly smooth.
- Add the canned tomatoes, broth, basil, oregano, thyme, the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and black pepper. Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
- Transfer the soup to a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until heated through.
- Serve with additional fresh basil and grilled cheese for dipping, if desired.
Video
Notes
Tomatoes: Romas are meatier and less watery than a big slicing tomato. Coring and seeding them before roasting is what keeps the soup concentrated instead of thin.
Skins: Roasting the tomatoes skin side up loosens the skins so they slip right off once they have cooled. Pulling them is what makes the soup silky without any cream.
Garlic: A whole head roasts down to something soft, sweet, and mellow. Squeeze the cloves out of their papery skins straight into the blender.
Broth: Vegetable broth keeps this one vegetarian, and chicken broth works just as well. I stir Better Than Bouillon base into hot water instead of opening a whole carton for half a cup, and they make both a vegetable and a chicken version.
Blender: A high-speed blender gets the smoothest texture. An immersion blender works too, just add everything to the pot and blend it right there before bringing it up to a simmer.
Consistency: Blend longer for a thinner, silkier soup, or stop early for something more rustic. Add broth a tablespoon at a time if you want it looser.
Make ahead: Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic up to 3 days in advance and blend when you are ready. You can also make the soup completely ahead, since the flavors only improve.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freezing: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months. There is no cream in this one, so it thaws without separating or turning grainy. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low. It comes back better on the stove than it does in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1577mg | Potassium: 982mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2569IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3mg
