Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
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Deep, rich, and quietly comforting. This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup has real tomato flavor: sweet, slightly caramelized, and balanced with herbs… with just enough heat to wake everything up. Itโs smooth without being heavy. Cozy without being boring. The kind of soup that makes you slow down and grab a spoon instead of a mug.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL
- Roasting brings out real tomato flavor
- Smooth, classic texture… no chunks
- Makes a big batch and freezes beautifully
- Better the next day (always a win!)
- Simple ingredients, serious payoff
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
This is the soup you make when the weather shifts. Or when you need something steady. Itโs been a go-to for us since we first put it on our site in 2011.
Roasting the tomatoes takes time. But itโs not work. Youโre just letting them do what theyโre supposed to do.
The house smells amazing. The soup simmers quietly. Nothing rushed. Nothing fussy.
Roasted tomato and basil soup isnโt the bright-red, can-style tomato soup. It’s deeper. Softer. More grown-up.
This is the bowl you sit with. Grilled cheese nearby. No distractions…. Thatโs the whole point.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Roma Tomatoes: Theyโre meaty and less watery, which means you get a stronger flavor. Worth it! Vine-ripened tomatoes are the next best choice.
- Olive Oil: Donโt skimp. It helps the tomatoes caramelize instead of steaming on the pan.
- Dried Basil: Works beautifully in this roasted tomato basil soup recipe because it has time to rehydrate and bloom.
- Chicken Stock: I like using Kitchen Basics chicken stock for its clean, rich flavor, but any good-quality chicken stock will work.
- Sweet Onion: This one’s important! It plays with the natural sweetness of the tomato beautifully. Substitute shallots if needed.
- Crushed Red Pepper: Just a touch. You feel the heat more than taste it.
VARIATIONS
Creamy: Stir in a little heavy cream (warmed first) after blending.
Vegetarian: Swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Spicy: Add a little more crushed red pepper or finish with a drizzle of chili oil.
Garlic-Lover: Roast a few garlic cloves with the tomatoes and blend them in.
Rustic: Skip straining if you like texture and donโt mind seeds.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Classic with grilled cheese or saltine crackers. Obviously.
- Add a simple green salad on the side.
- Pair this roasted tomato basil soup recipe with roasted vegetables or some form of fried cheese.
- Serve with cacio e pepe and garlic bread for a hearty, comfort food meal.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil or cracked black pepper.
ROASTED TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP FAQ
You donโt have to, but it makes the soup silky and refined. Trust me, it makes a pretty big difference.
This roasted tomato and basil soup recipe is built for dried basil. Fresh changes the flavor balance.
Roasting concentrates flavor and adds a sweetness you canโt get any other way.
Very. Cool completely before freezing, then thaw roasted tomato basil soup gently on the stove. Or thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Tomato soup lives or dies on concentration. Water is the enemy. Thatโs why roasting matters… it evaporates excess moisture and lets the natural sugars caramelize.
The long simmer after that isnโt about cooking tomatoes. Itโs about marrying everything together.
And straining? Thatโs about mouthfeel. Seeds and skins donโt taste bad, but they interrupt the experience.
When soup is this simple, texture becomes part of the flavor. One spoonful of this roasted tomato soup with basil, and you’ll see what I mean!
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Spread tomatoes in a single layer. Crowding kills caramelization.
- Donโt rush the onion step. Soft and golden matters.
- And don’t stir too often. The onions caramelize better when you leave them alone.
- Blend in small batches to avoid splatters or accidents.
- Strain while the soup is still hot. It moves through the sieve more easily.
- Taste after simmering, not before. Flavors change with time.
- Save those leftovers. Roasted tomato basil soup is even better the next day!
TOOLS NEEDED
- Rimmed Baking Sheet: Tomato juices will run… rims matter.
- Large Stockpot: An 8-quart pot gives you room to stir without splashing.
- Blender: Youโll need to work in batches. Slow and careful.
- Fine-Mesh Sieve: This is what makes it restaurant-smooth.
- Wooden Spoon + Ladle: One for cooking and stirring, the other for serving.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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TL;DR (Too Long, Didnโt Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Roast the tomatoes for deep flavor
- Roma tomatoes work best
- Smooth, classic tomato soup
- Straining makes it silky
- Freezes well
- Better the next day
- Comfort food done right
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, (about 4 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons dried basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 32 ounces chicken stock, I use Kitchen Basics
Instructions
- ROAST TOMATOES: Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF. Add 3 pounds halved Roma tomatoes to a large bowl. Toss with ยผ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until soft, blistered, and lightly caramelized.
- COOK AROMATICS: Place an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and melt. Add 1 diced sweet onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and ยผ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
- BUILD SOUP: Add the roasted tomatoes and all juices from the pan, 2 cans diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons dried basil leaves, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 32 ounces chicken stock. Stir well.
- SIMMER: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors deepen.
- BLEND: Carefully transfer the soup to a blender in batches, filling no more than halfway. Blend until smooth. Pour the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot to remove skins and seeds.
- SERVE: Warm gently over low heat if needed, then serve hot.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2011, updated and republished January 2026
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Weโre Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
This soup sounds so delicious, Donna! I can hardly wait to try it once we have more fresh tomatoes in the garden.
yes going to try making this soup….
There's nothing better than a nice warm bowl of soup to warm you up on a chilly evening. This tomato soup sounds wonderful! ๐
This looks so yummy! I like that there is no heavy cream which makes me feel like it's low fat ๐ It just looks so herbalicious and yummy. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather next week and whipping up a bowl of this.
Can't wait to try this soup and love Ina's recipes – they always have such fabulous flavor! Thanks for sharing and love your photos too:)
I often roast vegetables before making soup.It just tastes much better.Looks delicious;)
You have no idea how timely this is. I have a ton of tomatoes from my garden and was just wondering how to make soup with roasted tomatoes!
this looks amazing… can't wait to try it out… thanks for sharing
I have been looking high and low for a roasted tomato soup recipe that sounds as good as it looks. Yours looks amazing! I can't wait to try this. I just wish I had seen it when my garden was full of tomatoes.
I love tomato soup and this looks fabulous–can't wait to try!
I just made this great soup this evening, and added 2 red peppers to the tomatoes as they roasted, and later added 1 stalk of finely diced celery to up the veggie count. My husband suggested adding the diced tomatoes after pureeing, just to make it chunky. Delish and healthy!
I am so happy you enjoyed it. This is a family favorite.
Do the tomatoes need to be peeled before roasting? Can't wait to try this recipe!
They do not, you can run it through a food mill or just food process it at the end.Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Ooops. Sorry, just saw it!!!
so add boiling soup mixture to blender… it wont crack if glass? or melt if plastic?
Add soup after simmer for 40 minutes. I use a ladle to add it to my blender and I have never had an issue. Only fill the blender half way and hold the lid on with a kitchen towel for added protection.
Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
This is always my go to soup and Progresso makes a really good one. Can you freeze this soup, in individual servings? Sounds absolutely delish! And, the hint about adding the diced tomatoes AFTER pursuing is perfect for adding the texture I love! Thank you for sharing Ina's recipe๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝ
Do you know the nutritional values of this soup?
Hi Joy, you can use this recipe calculator to get those value. https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
I don't care much about calorie counts or nutrition but I do want to know if this soup can be frozen and how many servings the recipe makes. Thanks for your time!
Hello. I am not a great cook but I do love to cook. I saw this recipe and want to know if anyone used frozen tomatoes? I'm very busy and as the tomatoes in my garden started to turn red I froze them for when I'd be ready to make a soup. But can someone tell me if I can use frozen tomatoes and how to use them, thaw? Thanks so much.
My all time favorite soup! This one is the best recipe I have tried, easy to make and delicious to eat! Thank you.
We just had this with your gourmet grilled cheese and I must say it is the best (and easiest) dinner I have ever made. The whole family agrees!