Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

June 14, 2019 By Katya 90 Comments

The best-rated roasted tomato basil soup. This recipe relies on fresh tomatoes and herbs rather than cream or milk. It’s rich and full of flavor.

Classic comfort soups, such as Sicilian Chicken Soup or One-Pot Chicken Stew and fresh tomato basil soup never get old.

Tomato Basil Soup

This is a 5 star rated recipe with over 400+ comments. It’s the best tomato basil soup recipe in my opinion. I first stumbled on Ina Garten’s fresh tomato basil soup recipe years ago. Ever since, it’s become our go to recipe.

It relies on seasonal ingredients such as plum tomatoes, fresh basil, and thyme. It’s thick and rich with amazing depth of flavor. The recipe is truly perfection and I only made few slightest changes to the original.

Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Roasted tomato soup is all about the fresh tomatoes, which are oven roasted until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in chicken stock with ton of fresh basil. Not to mention the crushed red pepper flakes, which add a slight kick to the soup.

The soup is pureed in a blender instead of passing it through a food mill. You can also use a large food processor or even better an immersion blender.

The outcome is perfection! Super creamy (but without the cream) with ton of flavor from the fresh basil, garlic, and thyme.

Add-In Ideas:

Once you master this basic fresh tomato basil soup recipe, you can dress it up with additional flavors, such as:

Parmesan cheese
Fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme
Splash of something creamy
Drizzle of fresh pesto
Croutons

How to Make Tomato Basil Soup

Roast the Tomatoes – Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil. Layer on the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast for 45 minutes.

Cook the Soup – Heat a large dutch-oven over medium heat. Add butter and remaining olive oil. When butter has melted, add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir in canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, roasted tomatoes, including the juices, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, uncovered.

Puree and Serve – Transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle of cream or dollop of sour cream. And don’t forget grilled cheese. It’s our absolute favorite.

Step by step instruction on how to make tomato soup.

How Do You Freeze Tomato Basil Soup?

What’s great about this soup is that you’re guaranteed a bowl of fresh tomato basil soup any time a craving strikes as it freezes so well. Here’s how you do it:

Cool the soup completely.
Ladle into quart size freezer bags, about 2/3 full.
Seal tightly, squeezing out as much air as possible.
Label, date, and lay bag flat to freeze.
Thaw soup overnight in the refrigerator, reheat and serve.

These containers are also a great alternative to bags. Just leave about an inch of space between the soup and the container’s lid.

TIP: Hold back on any dairy or non-dairy milk or cream when freezing soup as it can easily separate when rewarmed. Simply add it in when reheating the soup.

What do You Eat with Tomato Basil Soup?

Cheese Bread Puffs – made in a blender and kids love them!
Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich – classic tomato soup side
Avocado Caesar Salad with Cucumbers – perfect soup combo
Parmesan Cheese Crisps – great way to add some crunch to the soup