Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup (Print version)

A vibrant blend of caramelized roasted tomatoes blended smooth with cream and finished with crispy croutons.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Soup

01 - 1.5 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large onion, quartered
03 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 2 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves

→ For the Homemade Croutons

13 - 2 cups day-old bread, cut into 0.5-inch cubes
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - 0.5 tsp garlic powder
16 - 0.25 tsp salt
17 - 0.25 tsp dried oregano

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your oven to 425°F.
02 - Arrange tomatoes cut side up, onion quarters, and peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized and tender.
04 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and oregano. Spread on a separate baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside.
05 - Transfer roasted vegetables to a large pot. Add vegetable broth and tomato paste. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
06 - Add basil leaves, then blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches.
07 - Return soup to the pot. Stir in heavy cream and sugar if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Heat gently without boiling.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl with extra cream, sprinkle with croutons, and garnish with fresh basil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasting process concentrates the tomato flavor in a way that will make you question why youd ever reach for the canned stuff again.
  • Its incredibly forgiving if youre distracted by kids or phone calls you can roast the vegetables a little longer and theyll just develop deeper flavor.
02 -
  • Roasting the tomatoes cut-side up concentrates their sweetness and prevents excess moisture that would make your soup watery.
  • Never boil the soup after adding cream it will separate and give you a grainy texture instead of velvety smoothness.
03 -
  • If you have time, let the blended soup sit for 5 minutes then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve for the silkiest possible texture thats my restaurant chef friends secret technique.
  • Save the tomato seeds and juice you strain out and use them to add depth to your next batch of rice or pasta sauce nothing goes to waste.
Go back