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Tomato Basil Soup

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Homemade with fresh tomatoes roasted in the oven, this tomato basil soup recipe adds a healthy and deliciously creamy flavor you won’t find in any old can.

bowl of tomato basil soup garnished with Parmesan and fresh basil

The Best Tomato Soup Recipe

If I think back to my childhood, tomato soup is at the top of the list of my all-time favorite comfort foods. But unlike my ultra creamy macaroni and cheese or my mom’s spaghetti recipe, tomato basil soup is on the lighter side of the comfort food scale.

Even better, when you have a stash of roasted tomatoes in the fridge, it’s an easy recipe to whip up for an easy dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

I’ve seen some recipes for this soup that call for canned tomatoes, but I use fresh tomatoes roasted with garlic and herbs in my tomato soup. Earlier this week I shared my recipe for roasting the tomatoes here, and since I had a jar left over, I decided to update the photos and post for this recipe too.

Soup at our house is a regular menu item, in fact, my husband has gone on an all-soup diet more than once. It’s also likely that our early marriage was built on tomato soup with grilled cheese. Because can one even eat tomato soup without a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking?

Roasted Tomatoes meant for homemade tomato basil soup

Tomato Basil Soup Ingredients

This tomato soup from scratch is incredibly rich and creamy thanks to a few special ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade tomato basil soup recipe:

  • Tomatoes
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Fresh thyme
  • Butter
  • Shredded carrots
  • Yellow onion
  • Kosher salt
  • Tomato paste
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Vegetable broth
  • Half and half
  • Fresh basil
  • Orzo pasta
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

What Are the Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup?

I used roma tomatoes for this easy tomato soup. They create a thicker blend of tomatoes for a more substantial soup. I’ve tried it with cocktail or campari tomatoes as well but be prepared, they release more liquid and seeds as they cook. (learn more about roasting tomatoes here.)

see more: 25 Healthy And Comforting Slow Cooker Soups & Stews

ingredients for easy tomato soup

How to Make Tomato Basil Soup

I’ve made this homemade tomato soup recipe on the stove top (let me know if you’d like to see instructions for a slow cooker or Instant Pot), but it gets its start in the oven.

Roast the tomatoes. Use fresh tomatoes, garlic cloves, and fresh thyme to create this homemade tomato basil soup’s healthy base.

*Time saving tip: I often roast the tomatoes at the beginning of the week for a little meal prep, blend and store in a quart jar and then add to the sautéed carrots and tomato mixture.

Shred carrots and onion to sweeten and smooth. Carrots add sweetness to this soup’s base and onion gives it depth, and I shred them instead of dicing as a riff on the Italian soffritto.  Shredding then cooking them makes them melt and meld into this soup’s base.

Make it more tomato-ed with tomato paste. Just 1 tablespoon of tomato paste deepens the tomato flavor of this soup. Add it to the carrots and onions and cook it for a minute or so to remove the raw flavor.

Blend baby. Use an immersion blender or a high-powered blender to emulsify the batch until smooth. I recently got this blender and it totally lives up to it’s reputation.

Add some bite. One of my daughter’s favorite tomato basil soups is from a local soup kitchen called Cafe Zupas. It’s there we discovered adding cooked orzo pasta and Parmesan cheese to the soup to give it a little girth.

see more: 30 Days Of Soups, Stews, And Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm

ladling a portion of tomato basil soup

Can I Use Dried Herbs Instead of Fresh?

I don’t recommend using dried herbs in this tomato basil soup. Dried herbs are more potent than fresh, plus they need a lot more time to cook down and soften.

Is There a Half and Half Substitute I Can Use?

If you’re trying to make this homemade tomato basil soup a little healthier, you may be able to get away with using whole milk instead of half and half. I’ve only ever used half and half though, so I can’t guarantee your soup will turn out perfectly using whole milk.

garnishing bowls of tomato basil soup with Parmesan cheese

Can I Freeze Tomato Basil Soup?

Yes, you can freeze this tomato soup from scratch in freezer bags and reheat on the stovetop. I recommend freezing it without the orzo or fresh basil for best results (you can add both into the reheated soup later on).

Can I Omit the Fresh Basil?

If you’re craving regular tomato soup, you’re welcome to leave out the fresh basil. But if you’ve never tried tomato basil soup before, I highly recommend making it. The fresh basil adds a subtle pop of flavor that can’t be beat.

bowl of tomato basil soup topped with Parmesan and basil

Tips for Making Tomato Basil Soup

The tiny bit of cayenne pepper in this tomato basil soup doesn’t make it spicy, it just makes it ultra flavorful. Don’t leave it out, trust me on this one.

When blending the soup, make sure to vent the blender so the hot soup doesn’t burst out. And it goes without saying that you should be very careful when pouring the hot soup into the blender. Please don’t splatter hot soup on yourself!

I prefer serving my homemade tomato soup over orzo to bulk it up a bit and make it more filling. Feel free to leave the orzo out or use a gluten-free version if necessary.

three bowls of tomato soup from scratch with orzo and parmesan

Recipes That Go With Tomato Basil Soup to Make the Meal

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

Tomato Basil Soup | foodiecrush.com #soup #tomato #basil #healthy #easy #creamy
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4.38 from 16 votes

Tomato Basil Soup

Blended roasted roma tomatoes make this soup thick and creamy with a sweetness thanks to carrots that's topped with fresh basil and orzo pasta. 
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Tomato roasting time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 302kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds roma tomatoes
  • 8 cloves garlic smashed, with paper removed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 carrot shredded, about 1 cup
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion shredded, about 3/4 cup
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (use chicken broth if you prefer)
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1/2 cup slivered fresh basil
  • 1 cup cooked orzo pasta
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Stem the tomatoes, then slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds by gently squeezing them out (if you feel like it), or remove with a spoon.
  • Lay the tomatoes, cut side up if cut in half, in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until the skin softens and begins to burst. Discard the herbs and 4 cloves of the garlic, and set aside.
  • In a large stock pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shredded carrot and onion to the pot and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté for five minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft. Add the tomato paste and continue to stir for one minute. Add the tomatoes and 4 cloves of the garlic, the broth, and cook for five minutes.
  • Add the tomato mixture to a blender. Vent the top of then blender and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth, or use an immersion blender until smooth. Add back to the pan and stir in the half-and-half. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
  • Season with more kosher salt to taste and divide among serving bowls. Serve hot with 1/4 cup orzo per bowl, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 776mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2580IU | Vitamin C: 35.7mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Tomato Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon

More Vegetable Soup Recipes You’ll Want to Make, Too

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Hi! I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    All of these tomato soups look amazing!! When I was pregnant, the only thing I wanted to eat was white carbs and the Nordstrom Cafe’s Tomato Basil Soup. That got to be expensive. Because I’d stop in the shoe dept on my way to the cafe :) Seriously great roundup! I need to get cracking on soup!

    Reply

  4. Kathryn says

    Love the idea of adding orzo to a roasted tomato soup; it’s like a whole meal in a bowl! And you’ve linked to some really delicious sounding soups too. I can tell I’m going to be on a soup-making bender this weekend…

    Reply

  5. Aggie says

    I’ve been craving tomato soup more than ever lately. I haven’t ever roasted my tomatoes first, and I honestly can’t believe it! And the orzo is a nice touch.

    We are breaking records in Florida with the coolest Halloween I’ve remembered in years. It will be nice to come back from trick or treating not a sweaty mess!

    Thank you so much for including my soup in your roundup, it’s a favorite!

    Reply

  7. Katie says

    Nothing more comforting than tomato soup. A perfect tribute to those going through devestation because of the storm…wish we could package it up and send it there way!

    (oh and those grilled cheese croutons…seriously. just stop it!)

    Reply

    • heidi says

      Hi Sandy! I have two boxes of fresh tomatoes that I’m going to be doing exactly the same thing with this weekend. What’s your secret recipe for roast tomatoes?

      Reply

  11. Kristen says

    I love it now – I really do! Can we still be sisters? ;)

    We host an annual soup supper for our hood & then everyone brings their candy down to our house and sits in our driveway to pass it out to trick or treaters. The whole block puts up signs on their door to come down our way. It’s fun! Anyway, I love this soup so much now I’m thinking of making it tonight, but might add some pasta. Do you think that would taste good? Tomato Basil soup with some kind of orzo or something in it? Being new to the whole tomato soup loving thing, I don’t want to ruin a good thing!

    Reply

  17. Annalise says

    Great roundup! I’m a new fan of homemade tomato soup, as growing up the kind my mom would serve from a Campbell’s can always grossed me out. But the homemade stuff in amazing! Can’t wait to try it with Orzo.

    Reply

  21. Mandie @ Oh So Decadent says

    I love roasted tomatoes and this soup sounds absolutely divine! Very excited to try this soup in the near future!

    I cannot agree more with everything that happened on the east coast. I’m here in New Jersey and I can only give my thanks and gratitude to everyone who has risked their lives to keep us safe. So blessed that our community is working together.

    Reply

  26. Jess says

    Heidi – Greetings from Bangkok! Thanks so much for sharing my soup in this great roudup. I generally tend to leave the fish sauce out of my tomato soup, but you’ve made me start thinking that it might not be a bad combination. ;)

    Reply

  27. Lisa says

    Oh.My.Goodness. May have accidently tried to inhale the screen – these look amazing. I recently just posted a roasted tomato soup but never even thought of adding carrots. or chipolte. or orzo. WOW. divine. As we enter the cold dark season I will be certain to try these. Great resource!

    Reply

  29. what does vitamin c do says

    Amazing blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

    I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.

    Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option?
    There are so many options out there that I’m totally confused .. Any ideas? Thanks a lot!

    Reply

  31. Laura says

    I make this soup at least twice a month. The whole family loves it – it is a cherished family recipe. Thank you!!

    Reply

  37. Vasyleah Green says

    5 stars
    This was a BIG hit at a baby shower luncheon I just hosted. I knew I didn’t have to worry about this being the first time I made it since I trust Heidi’s recipes to be delicious! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  38. Jewel says

    5 stars
    This soup is amazing ! I love it and my children love it too!
    I was just wondering at what stage f the preparation you add the olive oil? Is it when sautéing? That’s what I did, but I just guessed. Maybe it is when you roast the tomatoes?

    Either way I’m grateful for this lovely recipe, thank you so much!

    Reply