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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted tomato basil soup made with caramelized tomatoes, garlic, and onion, then blended smooth for a velvety texture. Finished with heavy cream, fresh basil, and a touch of balsamic for bright, balanced flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tomatoes
  • 3 lb Roma or vine tomatoes halved
Garlic
  • 1 head garlic halved crosswise
Onion
  • 1 onion quartered
Olive oil
  • 0.33 cup olive oil divided
Broth
  • 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Fresh basil
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves packed
Balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Oregano
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
Sugar
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste
Serving bread
  • 1 grilled cheese croutons or crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 immersion blender
  • 1 large pot

Method
 

Roast the tomatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F, then arrange the tomatoes, garlic, and onion on a rimmed baking sheet with the cut sides facing up (visual cue: tomatoes are laid out in a single layer).
  2. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and the dried oregano (visual cue: everything looks glossy and evenly speckled).
  3. Roast for 35-40 minutes until caramelized and slightly charred at the edges (visual cue: darkened edges on tomatoes and browned garlic).
Blend and simmer
  1. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins, then transfer all roasted vegetables to a large pot (visual cue: the garlic squeezes out like soft paste).
  2. Add the broth and balsamic vinegar, then blend smooth with an immersion blender (visual cue: the soup turns into a uniform red, silky texture).
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and fresh basil, then simmer for 10 minutes (visual cue: gentle bubbles and slight thickening).
Finish and serve
  1. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste (visual cue: flavor becomes balanced and not overly acidic).
  2. Serve the soup with grilled cheese croutons or crusty bread (visual cue: bread/croutons sit on the side of each bowl).

Notes

For the silkiest texture, blend while the soup is hot and stop when it looks fully smooth with no visible tomato bits. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat gently over low heat, as heavy cream can split if boiled hard. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based soups can change texture. If you want dairy-free, use a plant-based cream substitute in the same amount and keep the simmer low.