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.
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?
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Recipes That Go With Tomato Basil Soup to Make the Meal
- BLT Grilled Cheese
- Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
- French Onion Cheese Bread
- The Best Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
- Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
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
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.
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
More Vegetable Soup Recipes You’ll Want to Make, Too
- Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup
- Broccoli Cheese And Potato Soup
- Curry Lentil Soup With Butternut Squash And Greens
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna Soup
- 5-Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup
- How To Make The Best Minestrone Soup
- Moroccan Soup With Kale And Chickpeas
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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!
Kristen says
Heheh – this made me laugh Averie!
Blog is the New Black says
These all look divine!
Blog is the New Black says
These all look divine! Love tomato soup, etc.
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…
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!
heidi says
Sounds like we have a bi-polar Mother Nature on our hands! Love your recipe!
[email protected] Totes Delish says
Ohh I can’t get enough of all your variations on tomato soup!!
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!)
Sandy @ RE says
Love tomato soup. I love to roast the tomatoes and freeze, then pull out of freezer and heat up and add cream. Delicious for winter months! :)
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?
Bev @ Bev Cooks says
These soups are goooooorgeous. I need a funnel.
Mother Omega says
Nice post Lang…..
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!
Kristen says
And duh – I see yours has orzo in it at the bottom. Missed that! Yay! Never mind my dumb comment.
Sue T. says
The Tomato Basil Soup sounds fantastic and so easy. I can’t wait to make it!
Thanks so much!
marla says
Heidi all of these are so tempting!!! Such beautiful rustic soups!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Ahhh this sounds so amazing! And just made me extremely hungry :)
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
looks amazing Heidi! Happy Halloween!
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.
kelley {mountain mama cooks} says
They all look delicious though I’ve never met a bowl of tomato soup I didn’t like!
Lydia (Soup Chick) says
Thanks so much for including one of my soups, and for giving us all great ideas for new tomato soup recipes!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Delicious! This sounds lovely!
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.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
OMG, LOVE this post! I think I am going to try every single recipe here!
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen says
They all look so warm and cozy! I want to put them in a mug and sip them while wearing slippers!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Pure comfort in a bowl! I love it!
albertocook says
I love this
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. ;)
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!
Soupernaturel says
We really love your blog!
Especially on all the different soups that you have.
Let us know what you think about our soups too!
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!
Bethany says
How much orzo goes in the soup?
Laura says
I make this soup at least twice a month. The whole family loves it – it is a cherished family recipe. Thank you!!
Diethealthcareblogspot.com says
So great and healthy recipe you share .
Thanks alot.
Patti says
All these soups sound so tasty, especially now there’s a chill in the air. Yummmmm.
Ashley Sorenson says
Thank you, Patti!
shridevi says
Such a nice soup recipe …..Thanks for sharing a such a good and tasty tomato soup recipe….. keep sharing such new and interesting recipes.
Sasha Jamison says
Mouth-watering is all I need to say. Your husband takes fabulous pictures and I love your way with words. Have a blessed weekend.
renee says
i love tomato soup but didn’t try with basil. it sounds good and looks nice.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
You will love the flavor that the Basil adds! Enjoy!
Vasyleah Green says
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.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Yay! I am so glad everyone loved it!