This Tomato Basil Soup is super creamy and full of sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil. You’ll love serving this as an appetizer or as a light lunch with some crusty bread.
Serve this soup with some Focaccia Bread or Rustic overnight Bread.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love making this Tomato Basil Soup for my family as a light lunch because it’s super simple and so tasty. We love it served with homemade bread, but you can enjoy it any way you like. This soup works with lots of other dishes, too.
- TASTE: Sweet tomatoes and pungent basil are complemented by flavorful veggies like carrots and onion. The cream and butter gives the soup a rich taste.
- TEXTURE: This soup is creamy and smooth. It has small bits of stewed tomatoes and other tender vegetables throughout.
- TIME: This takes just 50 minutes to make.
- EASE: It’s not hard to make this Tomato Basil Soup. Just cook the ingredients and blend.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Tomatoes- I like tomatoes on the vine, but you can use other types, like Roma tomatoes.
- Vegetables- We’ll be using Carrots, Onion, and fresh Garlic cloves.
- Chicken broth- This is the base of the soup.
- Heavy cream- This adds rich creaminess to the soup.
- Basil- Fresh basil gives this soup lots of sweet, pungent, and slightly spicy flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Use canned tomatoes- To save time, you can use canned tomatoes in place of the freshly roasted ones. Just adjust your salt if there is some already in it.
- Make it dairy-free- Substitute the butter for olive oil or plant-based butter and use coconut cream or coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.
- Add balsamic vinegar- Give this soup a little tangy flavor with the addition of balsamic.
- Add some heat- Adding some red pepper flakes will give this Tomato Basil Soup some spicy flavor.
How to Make Tomato Basil Soup
- Prep the tomatoes. Core and slice the tomatoes into quarters. Then spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour about 1/4 cup olive oil over the tomatoes and season them with salt and black pepper.
- Roast them. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and roast the tomatoes for about 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly charred.
Pro Tip: If you’re using smaller tomatoes you may need to lessen the cook time to avoid burning them.
- Cook the vegetables. In the meantime, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it over medium heat. Then add in the chopped onion, carrots, and minced garlic.
- Season them. Stir the vegetables for a few minutes or until cooked though and translucent. Then season with salt and pepper.
- Blend them with the tomatoes. Add in the roasted tomatoes and blend thoroughly with an immersion blender.
- Add the chicken broth. Now pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the cream and basil. Then add the heavy cream and chopped basil. Bring to a simmer and blend once more. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cut the tomatoes to a uniform size- Cutting them to the same size will ensure that they roast evenly and thoroughly, with none burning.
- Take off the basil stems- For the best flavor, cut off as much of the basil stems as possible before adding the chopped leaves to the soup.
- Use an immersion blender- This is the easiest way to make this soup smooth. A blender also works, but be careful if the ingredients are hot.
- Add the liquids in the end- Doing this ensures that they don’t evaporate during the cooking process, leading the soup to become too thick.
FAQs
If your tomato basil soup lands up being too thin, then you can simmer it a little longer to thicken it. You can also add a slurry of water and flour or cornstarch to thicken it.
Basil should be added at the end, after the cooking process has completed. This is because heat can reduce its flavor and even give it a slightly bitter taste.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade Tomato Basil Soup is sweet, fragrant, and very versatile. You can pair it with salads, meats, sides, and breads.
- Meats: Serve this soup on the side of Garlic Butter Steak Bites, Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), or Air Fryer Chicken Legs.
- Salad: For a light lunch, pair this Tomato Soup with a Spinach Pomegranate Salad, Best Broccoli Cranberry Salad Recipe, or Cabbage Cucumber Salad.
- Sides: Other sides that go with it are Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, and Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables.
- Breads: Add a plate of Moist Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe, Super Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls, or Garlic Cheese Bread to a meal with this soup.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can roast the tomatoes ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make the soup.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this Tomato Basil Soup recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze: Pour this soup into a freezer ziplock bag once cooled and freeze laying flat. It will last up to 6 months. You can let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Delicious Soups!
Full Recipe Instructions
Tomato Basil Soup
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven Pot (or heavy-bottomed pot)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb tomatoes (cored and quartered)
- 1/2 cup olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 small carrots diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Core and slice the tomatoes into quarters. Then spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour about 1/4 cup olive oil over the tomatoes and season with with salt and pepper.
- Roast the tomatoes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly charred.
- In the meantime, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it over medium heat. Then add in the chopped onion, carrots, and minced garlic.
- Stir the vegetables for a few minutes or until cooked though and translucent. Then season with salt and pepper.
- Add in the roasted tomatoes and blend thoroughly with an immersion blender.
- Now pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer.
- Then add the heavy cream and chopped basil.
- Bring to a simmer and blend once more. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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