Made with roasted fresh tomatoes and fragrant basil, this tomato basil soup recipe is rich, flavorful, and comforting. Fresh yet cozy, it’s the perfect transition into fall!
When the air turns crisp and tomatoes are still lingering at the market, I know it’s time to make a big batch of this vegan tomato basil soup. Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness, while carrots add just enough natural balance to the acidity—no sugar required! A hint of thyme, warming spices, and a generous handful of fresh basil give it that unmistakable Mediterranean flavor that’s both bright and cozy.
What I love most about this tomato basil soup is its versatility. Make a big batch and freeze some for the colder months, when juicy summer tomatoes are long gone. Reheat it on a busy weeknight and serve with a melty feta grilled cheese, or a hunk of crusty bread for dipping.
As Nelson so perfectly summed it up in the comments, “I’ve used this recipe before; First time was dinner party with some meat ‘n tater folks. Got rave reviews, still do. An interesting observation I make now is when I send out announcements for a dinner party the RSVP comes back with a question… “Are ‘ya serving that tomato soup again? We hope so!”
Table of Contents
Tomato Basil Soup Recipe Ingredients
This tomato basil soup swaps heavy cream and gluten for simple, easy to find ingredients that pack so much nutrition and flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Produce: Tomatoes are the main flavor-maker here, with carrots providing a sweetness for balance. You can use any tomatoes you have, but I recommend smaller, denser varieties like Roma. They tend to have a sweeter and more concentrated flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend a robust and peppery olive oil with this recipe, like our Private Reserve Greek EVOO
- Seasonings: Dried oregano gives the soup a strong aromatic quality. Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor. Cumin brings warmth, and sweet Spanish paprika adds a subtle kick.
- Aliums: Lightly softened onions and garlic add a perfectly sweet and savory flavor to the soup.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Add a concentrated tomato flavor and give body.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh basil and thyme add so much subtle aromatic flavor. They’re what bring this soup to the next level, totally setting it apart from any canned soup you can find.
- Lime juice (optional): Lightens the soup and marries the flavors together.
How to Make Tomato Basil Soup
This tomato basil soup is as easy as it gets, you just need to allow about an hour to really develop the flavor. Here’s how to do it:
Roast the Tomatoes
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Slice 3 pounds of Roma tomatoes in half and add to a large mixing bowl. Peel 2 medium carrots, coarsely chop, and add them to the bowl. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread well in one layer.
- Roast the carrots and tomatoes. When the oven is at 450°F, add the carrots and tomatoes and roast until the tomatoes have deflated and began to char at the edges, about 30 minutes. Set aside for about 10 minutes to cool.
- Prep the aromatics. Chop 2 medium yellow onions. Mince 5 garlic cloves (see the easy way in our how to mince garlic guide). Pick the leaves off of 1 bunch of basil.
- Blend. When the tomatoes and carrots have cooled slightly, transfer them to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Add a splash of water and blend until the vegetables have broken down and combined. Some texture is nice, so stop the processor before it becomes a super smooth puree.
Finnish, Simmer, and Serve
- Sauté the onions and garlic. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and reduce. Pour the roasted tomato mixture into the pot with the onions. Stir in 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes, the basil, 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon each of paprika and cumin. Stir in 2 ½ cups of water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
- Finish and serve. Remove the thyme springs and transfer the soup to serving bowls. If you like, add top each serving with a squeeze of fresh lime and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Optionally, serve with your grilled bread, grilled cheese, or crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Tomato Basil Soup
I love to give the classic tomato basil soup and grilled cheese sandwich combo a Mediterranean twist. Our mozzarella and feta pita grilled cheese is the perfectly rich and melty grilled cheese sandwich to dip into a warm bowl of aromatic tomato soup. Or, for a fun little dinner party appetizer, top cups of tomato soup with crispy fried goat cheese.
If you’d like to continue on the dairy and gluten free track, simply leave off the cheese on a crunchy green salad, like Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad) or Mediterranean cucumber salad.
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds ripe small tomatoes (I used Roma), halved (or quartered if large)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 bunch (2 ounces) fresh basil leaves
- 3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Fresh lime juice (optional), for serving
- Pita grilled cheese , grilled bread, or toast (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Roast the carrots and tomatoes. In a large mixing bowl, toss the tomatoes and carrots with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch salt and pepper. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread well in one layer. Roast in the heated oven until the tomatoes have deflated and began to char at the edges, about 30 minutes. Set aside for about 10 minutes to cool.
- Blend. Transfer the roasted carrots and tomatoes (along with their skin and seeds) to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Add a splash of water and blend until the vegetables have broken down and combined. Some texture is nice, so stop the processor before it becomes a super smooth puree.
- Sauté the onions and garlic. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes and reduce. Pour the roasted tomato mixture into the pot with the onions. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, basil, thyme, oregano, paprika, cumin, and 2 1/2 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
- Finish and serve. Remove the thyme springs and transfer the soup to serving bowls. If you like, add top each serving with a squeeze of fresh lime and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Optionally, serve with your grilled bread, grilled cheese, or crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Best Tomatoes to Use: Tomatoes with lower moisture content tend to work best for roasting, like Roma, Campari, Early Girl or similar variety that remains firm when ripe. That said, if you have an abundance of garden tomatoes you’d like to use up (or even, dare I say, off season tomatoes) roasting them will bring out their sweetness. Just be sure to cut any larger varieties into wedges. Keep a close eye on them as they cook to ensure they don’t burn, and adjust the amount of water in the soup as necessary.
- Storage: Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate in tight-lid glass containers for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Reheat over medium, allowing frozen soup to first thaw in fridge overnight.
- Have more tomatoes to use up? Check out my 15 Mediterranean Fresh Tomato Recipes that are NOT salad!
Nutrition
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I’ve been following you for a while now and I really enjoy your recipes and videos. I have to tell you that I have been obsessed with making the perfect tomato basil soup.
I was making variations for about 3 weeks straight with ZERO luck. And then I came upon YOUR roasted tomato basil soup and hallelujah, that was it !!!
Seriously … I’ve made it for my family and friends and they just rave about it ! So thank you and keep ‘em coming !!!
Mary
Ps …. Congratulations on the cool book ! ♥️
Oh, Wonderful, Mary!! Love to hear it!
I’m so glad I found your site! By BFF is having bypass surgery and when she gets home I plan to have several of your recipes in her freezer because they are very heart healthy. This soup is delicious! Thanks!
Aww! That is a very sweet thing for you to do, Patricia!
I enjoy seeing your recipes. My favorites are the vegan/vegetarian recipes and pastas.
Your recipes always look so tasty and delish. Enjoy watching your videos
You are very kind, Lupe. Thank you!
I made this today and it is delicious. My question is what is the serving size for the nutrition you listed? I have to track my intake and not sure the amount.
Hi, Terry! The whole recipe can be divided by 6 to get the “serving size”. The exact serving size measurement (by cups, etc) is another layer that’s harder for us to precisely calculate at this time. The nutrition info here is our best effort and we use a program that calculates that for us based on the ingredient list.
Hey Sue
I’ve used this recipe before, First time was dinner party with some ‘meat ‘n tater folks. Got rave reviews, still do. An interesting observation I make now is when I send out announceme3nts for a dinner party the RSVP comes back with a question………….”are ‘ya serving’ that tomato soup[ again; we hope so”
Yay!!! I LOVE hearing that :). Thanks so much, Nelson!
I live in Minnesota USA, so I only have fresh tomatoes once in the summer. During winter months my best option is canned Roma tomatoes. What would you think of roasting whole canned tomatoes with onions and carrots first?
Hi, Tai. I have never tried that! Very interesting idea. It could work.
After roasting the tomatoes do you need to peel the skins or do you leave them on?
Hi, Jonathan. I do not peel them here.
I made this tonight. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
I used Roma tomatoes with LOTS of garlic. YUMMY! I’m so excited. Love that it’s vegan. I used a whole lime. OH YEAH! I didn’t use alot of salt. Instead of using a food processor I used my Vitamix. It cost enough so it better be able to more than a food processor 🤣.
I’m a chef in the kitchen.
Thanks so much for this recipe.♥️ I made your falafel as well. Both were delicious. YOU ROCK.
I’m excited to cook this for others.
You are so sweet! Thank you! Glad you loved both of those recipes!
Hi Suzy, I love all the wonderful spices in this recipe. I just finished making and it turned out a little on the tarty side. Would you recommend how to balance this out? I do not want to use cream or sugar.
Hi, Joanne. While I have never tried this personally, I’ve heard adding a pinch or so of baking soda might help reduce the tartness. Hope that helps!
How many tomatoes would I need to make my own crushed tomatoes and how would I do it?
Hi, Benjamin. I don’t have an exact tutorial for making crushed tomatoes at the moment, but it generally involves boiling fresh tomatoes, peeling once cooled a bit, and then crushing them by hand or in a food processor.
This is delicious! I added a can of coconut milk for creaminess, and that turned out really well. I was a little confused about the fresh basil, I got my kitchen scale and picked an ounce worth from my garden and it was so much basil! I only did 1 oz not 2 and it was definitely plenty.
Thanks so much, Carol Ann!
This is a fabulous recipe, but my bounty of tomatoes is done, have you made this with canned tomatos
Hi, Joan. I have not personally made this with canned tomatoes. I suppose it would work, but you wouldn’t get that same deep flavor that would come from roasting fresh tomatoes. If you give it a try, though, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I have an abundance of tomatoes…but they aren’t roma. What should I adjust for fresh heirloom type of tomato? I’m guessing they will put off more liquid,but am unsure if that will be OK since they are roasted first.
Hi, Louwana. 3 lbs. of any type of tomatoes will work here. If they are fairly large, just be sure to cut them down into wedges or large cubes, and then follow the direction from there. Hope you enjoy the soup!!
I absolutely love your recipes, simple easy and quick healthy meals tried 2 so far lentils soup and tomato and basil soup both massive hit in my house, Delia smith can move over now
Thank you Suzy
xxx
Lol! Thanks, Kenize!
I made this with tomatoes from the garden. It did not disappoint. I love that it is dairy free. I will definitely make again!!!
Yay! Thanks, Angela!
It’s delicious 😋 Next time I’m going to roast the onion and garlic with the tomatoes and carrots.