Super smooth, ultra creamy tomato basil soup is the simplest and most delicious way to use fresh tomatoes. You’ll love it so much you may want to double or triple the batch to freeze for later when summer tomatoes are gone.
This easy tomato basil soup is a fantastic way to use an abundance of fresh tomatoes and is one of the best tomato soups you can make at home. Whether you prefer a velvety puree or a slightly chunky bowl, this recipe delivers bright, concentrated tomato flavor.
From canned to homemade versions, I’ve tasted many tomato soups. Roasting the tomatoes is the key here: it mellows acidity and deepens the fresh tomato flavor so the final soup is rich and memorable.
Surprisingly, you only need five main ingredients for this flavorful soup—and none of them is cream. Dairy lovers can, of course, finish a bowl with a splash of cream or milk, but the soup is excellent without any dairy added.
There’s no need to peel or seed the tomatoes, and depending on the variety you choose, trimming the core may not even be necessary. This keeps the prep quick and the recipe approachable for home cooks.
This is a recipe that works for busy weeknights yet produces enough to feed you for multiple meals. While the oven is running, you can roast a double batch and freeze extras for future quick dinners—grilled cheese and tomato soup nights, anyone?
Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
Roasting is what gives this soup its deep, caramelized tomato flavor. As the tomatoes roast, their natural sugars concentrate and the edges begin to shrivel, making the soup sweeter and less acidic.
Minimal equipment is required:
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Rimmed half sheet pan
- Blender or food processor (a stick blender can work with slight changes)
If you prefer a chunky soup and don’t have a blender, a potato masher will work. For a silky, smooth result, a high-speed blender or food processor is ideal.
Easy Homemade Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Ingredients are simple and easy to source. Besides salt and pepper, the recipe uses just five fresh ingredients:
- Fresh tomatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Salt
- Pepper
Pick up tomatoes, onions, and basil from your garden, a farmer’s market, or the grocery store. You likely have olive oil, salt, and pepper already.
Plum, Roma, or San Marzano tomatoes are preferred because they yield a slightly thicker soup, but heirlooms, beefsteak, or mixed tomatoes work well too. If you use firmer tomatoes mixed with very ripe ones, the firmer fruit adds natural pectin that helps thicken the soup and improves texture.
Make extra and freeze leftovers in airtight containers or portioned servings for up to a year—this soup freezes beautifully and saves you time later.
Using Canned Tomatoes
If fresh tomatoes aren’t available, you can adapt similar recipes using quality canned tomatoes. Canned tomato soups or other hearty soups can be great alternatives when fresh produce is out of season.
Canning the Soup
This recipe is suitable for pressure canning because it contains no dairy or stock. Reheat the blended soup, then fill clean pint or quart jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Wipe rims, apply new two-piece lids, and process in a pressure canner following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pints: Process for 60 minutes at 10 lbs pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 ft, or 15 lbs for higher altitudes.
- Quarts: Process for 75 minutes at 10 lbs pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 ft, or 15 lbs for higher altitudes.
Do not rely on water bath canning for this recipe unless you are confident the acidity is sufficient; pressure canning is the safer option for shelf stability.
Making It Creamier
If you want a creamier soup, take care when adding dairy: tomato acidity plus heat can cause cream or milk to curdle. Try these options to keep the texture smooth:
- Use evaporated milk, which is more stable when heated and acidic.
- Gently warm fresh milk or cream over low heat before stirring it into the hot soup.
- Use full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk as a dairy-free alternative.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Wash tomatoes and trim any tough cores. Cut each tomato into eight wedges. Spread tomato wedges across a rimmed half-sheet pan and scatter peeled, wedged onions and whole peeled garlic cloves around them.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Roast at 400ºF for 30 to 45 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender, their edges begin to shrivel, and some juices have collected in the pan.
Remove from the oven and toss half of the basil leaves over the hot tomatoes. Let the pan rest for about five minutes so the basil wilts and releases flavor.
Transfer the roasted tomatoes and any juices to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining basil leaves and blend on high until smooth. If using a blender, vent it so steam can escape.
If you prefer a thinner soup, stir in a little warmed milk, cream, or broth just before serving (do not add dairy before freezing or canning).
Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped basil or whole leaves, or portion into airtight containers and freeze for later use.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Rebecca Lindamood
10 mins
45 mins
Equipment
- Rimmed half sheet pan
- Blender, stick blender, or food processor
Ingredients
- 3 lbs plum tomatoes (see notes)
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 to 12 large leaves fresh basil
Instructions
To Make Roasted Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Wash tomatoes and cut into 8 wedges; trim any tough cores if needed.
- Spread tomatoes on a rimmed half sheet pan and scatter onions and garlic around them.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast 30–45 minutes until tomatoes are tender and edges begin to shrivel.
- Remove from oven and toss half the basil leaves over the hot tomatoes. Rest about 5 minutes to allow the basil to wilt.
- Transfer tomatoes and juices to a blender or food processor. Add remaining basil and blend on high until smooth, venting the blender to release steam.
- If you want a thinner soup, stir in a little warmed milk, cream, or broth just before serving (do not add dairy before freezing or canning).
- Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil, or portion and freeze in airtight containers for up to a year.
Tomato Soup Canning
- Reheat blended soup and fill clean pint or quart jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims with a paper towel dipped in white vinegar and apply new two-piece lids fingertip-tight.
- Process in a pressure canner following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pints: 60 minutes at 10 lbs pressure (≤1,000 ft) or 15 lbs for higher altitudes.
- Quarts: 75 minutes at 10 lbs pressure (≤1,000 ft) or 15 lbs for higher altitudes.
- Allow pressure to return to normal naturally, then cool jars undisturbed overnight before labeling and storing.
Notes
Use a mix of very ripe and slightly firmer tomatoes: ripe ones boost flavor while firmer ones add natural pectin to thicken the soup.
For garlic, you can buy peeled cloves or lightly crush whole cloves to loosen the skin before roasting.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 12 g
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use.
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