This tomato basil soup recipe proves that roasted tomato soup is so much better from scratch! And, because it’s vegan and gluten-free, this soup freezes exceptionally well. Make a big batch to store for the winter months when tomatoes aren’t their happiest. Enjoy on a chilly night, with melty mozzarella and feta pita grilled cheese sandwiches for dipping.
Tomato basil soup often runs into a dilemma. Either it’s a heavy, overly rich bowl of cream with little tomato flavor, or it’s thin and watery. This roasted tomato soup solves that problem!
Roasting tomatoes in the oven concentrates their juices, intensifying their flavor. Roasted carrots add a touch of sweetness to balance the tomatoes’ natural acidity without any sugar necessary. Warming spices and fresh basil and thyme bring an irresistible aromatic quality that will leave you wanting seconds!
This tomato basil soup recipe is so rich, flavorful, and comforting. Though it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and Mediterranean diet friendly, it’s a sure hit for all diets–adults, kids, and picky eaters alike.
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 Ingredients
This tomato basil soup swaps heavy cream and gluten for simple, easy to find ingredients that pack so much rich nutrition and flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Produce: Tomatoes are the main flavor-maker here, with carrots providing a blancing sweetness. Opt for smaller, denser tomato varieties, like Roma (see “best tomatoes for roasting” for tips).
- Extra virgin olive oil: Used to roast and saute the vegetables, with a final drizzle enriching the soup and adding a nice flavor. Use a high quality extra virgin variety you have on hand, or stock up on our favorite selection of Mediterranean olive oils at our shop.
- 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.
Best Tomatoes for Roasting
Tomatoes with lower moisture content, firm flesh, and a balanced sweetness tend to work best for roasting. Look for Roma, Campari, Early Girl or a similar small tomato variety that remains firm when ripe.
While a big, juicy heirloom is absolutely ideal in something like Caprese salad, a lower moisture tomato allows the flavors to concentrate and develop a caramelized exterior without getting too watery.
That said, if you have an abundance of garden tomatoes you’d like to use up, just be sure to cut any larger varieties into wedges before roasting. 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.
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 (if you're short on time, check out our recipe for Pappa Al Pomodoro (Italian Bread And Tomato Soup). Here’s how to do it:
Roast the Tomatoes
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Prep the carrots and tomatoes. 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, ½ 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.
Or, 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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Finish your tomato soup with a drizzle from our collection of of extra virgin olive oils, hand-selected for flavor and quality.
Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 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
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ 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 extra virgin 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 extra virgin 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 ½ 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!
Video
Notes
- Leftovers: 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!
- Variations: If you're looking for a bit of a smoky finish, add a good pinch of smoked paprika. Or, to spice things up, roast some jalapeno pepper and blend them along with the tomatoes and carrots.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including spices and extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe.
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2019 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers' benefit. Enjoy!
Though it's like nails on a chalk board, I HATE commenting on a recipe BEFORE making it. HAVING said that, I am SO HAPPY to see this tomato soup! While I have made soup for canned tomatoes, YOU have made my day ALREADY! JUST LOOKING at it made me want to go to the market! Using fresh tomatoes has been something I WANTED to try but was afraid. I have made your recipes before so I KNOW it'll be good! Looking through the recipes, I can't seem to find a GOOD recipe for roasted, tomatoes, colored peppers, and for th elife of me I DON'T know what kind of cheese with it. I just know that I stayed by it so not many other people could have some. I have seen something similar on your site, YES! I get your emails (LOL). Thanks again & I'll post when I've made it.
This sounds amazing!! Can it be canned for later use or just stored in the freezer?
Hi, Amy. Since it doesn't contain dairy, it should be able to be canned. We don't have experience with canning here at TMD, though, so you may need to do a little extra research before trying. If you give it a go, we'd love to hear your thoughts!
I noticed you cooked this in a Dutch Oven style pan (perhaps le Creuset). But I was always told you shouldn’t cook tomatoes in these pans because then you’ll have to “cure” your pot again. Any advice?
Hello! We've never heard that issue and haven't found it necessary to cure these types of pans after cooking tomatoes in them. I would recommend checking with the manufacturer of whatever pans you are using, though, to be sure.
Easy to follow instructions with an outstanding finished dish. The only thing I added was 1/2 teaspoon of guram masala at the end of cooking [cuz I'm Indian] - thank you so much for sharing, will make it again!
This recipe is so delicious , this time of year winter - fresh tomatoes are not great, can I use whole romas from the can or any suggestions
Hi, Joan. I have not personally made this with canned tomatoes. It will probably work in a pinch, 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!
Easy and delicious
This looks so good. If this serves 6 ppl, what is one serving size. I’m following the Weight Watchers and need to know the serving size. Thanks.
Hi, Jennie. Thanks for reaching out! The whole recipe can be divided by 6 to get the "serving size". The nutrition info here is our best effort and we use a program that calculates that for us based on the ingredient list. Unfortunately, the exact serving size measurement (by cups, etc) is another layer that's harder for us to precisely calculate at this time.
So delicious! Added a tablespoon of Asian chili garlic sauce for some heat and a tiny bit of sugar to cut the acidic taste. SOOOOOOOO good!
And guilt free:)
Great idea for some extra pizzazz! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this soup 3 times and every time it just gets better. It’s my go to soup. I love it and so easy to make
Delicious, I NEVER LIKED tomato soup until this!!!! Wow, so good will try again but making it a little spicy as suggested:)
Yay! So glad to hear it, Bertie!
Made this twice now and loved it. Shared with my neighbors and we all found it delicious and filling.
Absolutely delicious! will make this very often 😀
In the video it looks like you add about a cup of onion… But in the recipe it says two onions. I am worried I’m adding too many is the recipe correct?
Hi, Marcia. I typically use the 2 medium onions, but you can certainly reduce that, if you feel it might be too much. This is an ingredient you can definitely play with to suit your taste!
I made this soup tonight for dinner. I have to say, this is by far the best tasting tomato basil soup I’ve ever had in my life! So delicious and healthy! Thank you so much… I will definitely be making a lot more of this!
Yay! Thanks, Cindy!
If I could give this soup 10 stars I would! My husband went back for seconds and said it was absolutely remarkable and the best soup I've ever made. I have to agree with him. The only thing I did differently was roast the onions with the tomatoes and carrots. Thank you for posting your recipe. We will be making this for years to come.
Wonderful! Thanks, Paula!
Thank you for this. I went a little crazy at the farm stand with tomatoes last week and had a remaining 4 lb on their way out. I figured I would look for a soup recipe and stumbled on this one.
Just a few modifications:
I had some homemade veggie stock in the fridge and used that in lieu of water.
I quartered the onion and when I placed the tomatoes and carrots in the oven, I put a tray of onions on the top rack. When I removed the tomatoes and carrots after 30 min, I put the oven on High Broil for 5 min to get a char on the baked onion. I then blended the vegetable stock, tomato, carrots, onion, and basil all together in a high speed blended. (The onion prepped this way makes the soup creamier from the baked onion and less fatty as you don’t need to use oil on the onion.)
I sauteed the garlic until fragrant and golden in the pot and poured the blended vegetable mixture in along with a 14oz can of low sodium diced tomato, dried seasonings, fresh thyme sprigs, a little sugar (how my Italian grandma cooks tomatoes to cut the acidity).
I then brought soup to a slow boil and then placed on LOW for 60-75 minutes (helps break down the tomato skins the longer you cook them).
Then I grinded the basil stems in olive oil (no waste!!) and drizzled the mixture in the center of a cut baguette, wrapped in foil, and placed in the warm oven for 15-20 min.
Garlic basil bread and tomato basil soup!
Thanks for the inspiration!!! It turned out amazing!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle! Thank you for taking the time to share your process!