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 (it’s the same trick I use when I make oven-roasted tomato sauce). 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, 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.
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
- 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 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!
Yum. I am making this soup right now! Love the Cumin in it!
Wonderful, Jessica! Hope you enjoyed it!
Amazing I just made this. It was so fast and easy and the flavor was Devine. I am obsessed with TBS and this by far knocked itnout tof the park for me. I tweaked it a bit with some garlic salt and Italian seasoning versus just oregano and I choose not to peak my carrots so for me this was fast easy and scrumptious.
Thanks so much for sharing, Wendy! I’m so glad this tomato basil soup knocked it out of the park for you. It’s a personal favorite.
how ripe should the tomatoes be….
Love love your recipes! Have a question about the Roma tomatoes for this soup….how ripe do they have to be BEFORE I roast them….mine our quite hard!
Hey, Elaine! Thank you!! Glad you like the recipes here. You can go ahead and use the Romas you have, they’ll work just fine 🙂 When they roast, they’ll collapse nice and all their sweetness will come out. You may need to roast them a bit longer if they’re not very ripe. Enjoy
What is the serving size – 3/4 cup?
This soup will serve 6 bowls for dinner.
This recipe is so simple and so delicious that I will never buy pre-made tomato soup again. I made a double batch and froze the leftovers in individual servings so I can grab a container for quick healthy lunch. If you have leftover bread, don’t throw it out. Instead make croutons with it and throw them on top of this wonderful soup.
Rosemary, I am so glad! Sounds like this is the tomato soup for you!
This was a hearty soup! Today, I topped each bowl with some tortellini and parmesan!
What a great idea! Thanks so much, Renee
This was delicious. Followed the recipe as written, used lemon thyme as that is what’s growing in my garden. Very nice for a summer meal – served with bread and cheese. Yum!
Sounds yummy!!
Should the basil be chopped or whole leaves?
That was my question as well. Do you chop the basil leaves?
Hi, Rich. You can if you’d like, but I typically just tear them up and add them.
I have an abundance of tomatoes this year but no Roma’s. Any suggestions?
Other tomatoes will work here, Chris. If you’re using larger tomatoes, just cut them to wedges or large cubes and follow the recipe as indicated. Enjoy
Yum! We love tomato soup.
Awesome!
Suzy,
Instead of freezing, would this be suitable for canning?
It could! But I haven’t tried it myself, so I’m not so sure 🙂
Bill- Did you cannot? I was wondering the same thing!
Can it*
This recipe is simple and uses the bounty of the season well. I had about 2 lbs. Roma tomatoes and a large yellow heirloom, so I used those. Really tasty and easy. I also tried blending some in my Vitamix and that was delicious too. Made it more like a creamy bisque. Yum. Thanks for the great recipe and site!
I made the Tomato Soup yesterday. Absolutely delicious! I’m thrilled that I discovered your site.
Thanks for sharing !
Corinne, I’m so glad you’re here! Thank you for sharing.
All my heirloom tomatoes are fresh for the picking and I usually make soup when I have enough of them. This sounds perfect for lunch!
Awesome! Enjoy!
This looks seriously amazing! Love how you roasted the tomatoes before using them to make the most delicious soup. Can’t wait to make it this weekend!
Makes such a difference to roast tomatoes!
I love that I can make this now with my fresh tomatoes from the garden and freeze the soup for when the weather starts to cool down.
Awesome, Kelly! Garden fresh tomatoes are the best!