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Roasted Tomato Soup is the best way to use up you ripe tomatoes! Roasting them brings out a rich, slightly sweet flavor, and makes this recipe relatively hands-off. Serve it with garlic roasted chickpeas on top for a healthy and comforting meal.
This Roasted Tomato Soup recipe is adapted from The Clean Plates Cookbook. I’ve adjusted it to suit my family’s preferences, and I love how you don’t need to add cream to get a silky, satisfying soup. The addition of fresh basil and sage takes the flavor to the next level.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in roasted tomato soup?
- Fresh tomatoes (I use Roma tomatoes)
- Lots of garlic
- Onions
- Fresh herbs
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
You can add in coconut milk for creaminess, or even heavy cream or cheese if you don’t need a dairy-free recipe, but this simple combination becomes ultra-flavorful on its own.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
Roast. Cut the tomatoes in half, and toss them with the garlic, vinegar, and oil. Season with salt, and roast until they are very soft and tender, about 45 minutes.
Let them cool, then slip the skins off if you want a smooth tomato soup. (They come off very easily after roasting.)
Cook the onions. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat, and sauté the onions until they are tender, about 10 minutes or so.
Add in the fresh herbs and stir for 1 more minute.
Blend. Transfer the sauteed onions and herbs, along with the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and juices from the pan into a blender. Blend until totally smooth.
You can add water, if needed to help the mixture blend, but the tomatoes are so juicy, you probably won’t need any. You’ll add liquid in the next step!
Simmer. Return the blended mixture to the pot, and add in 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the soup to a simmer, and let it cook for 10 more minutes.
At this point, you can make any adjustments, adding more water to thin out the texture (I usually use 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water total), and you can add a touch of maple syrup, if you need a little more sweetness.
Serve warm right away, with your favorite toppings. Try it with air fryer chickpeas on top, for a fast crunchy addition.
Prefer a creamy tomato soup? You an add in some heavy cream or coconut milk for creaminess, if you like, or any other milk you like. Start with a 1/4 cup of full fat canned coconut milk, and see how you like it. You can always add more, as needed!
To Peel or Not to Peel
Do you need to peel tomatoes for soup? The peels contain most of the flavonoids and carotenoids found in tomatoes, so they make a healthy addition to this soup, but they will add a “stringy” texture if you’re looking for a smooth, blended soup. (Even my Vitamix doesn’t get it perfectly smooth with the tomato skins on.)
For a totally silky-smooth soup, I recommend removing the peels. They slip off very easily after they have cooled slightly from roasting, so it will take an extra 2 to 3 minutes of effort to remove them.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ripe tomatoes , sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 12 large garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided
- Salt & pepper , to taste
- 2 medium-size red onions , diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In a large rimmed baking sheet, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss well, then arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, skin side down, and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, then slip the skins off the tomatoes for a silky-smooth soup.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the basil and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute.
- Transfer the sauteed onions and herbs to a blender, along with the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and their juices from the pan. Blend until smooth. You shouldn't need to add water at this point, but you can add 1 cup of water if you need to help move things along.
- Pour the blended mixture back into the pan, and add in 2 cups of water. (Or just 1 cup, if you added some in the last step.) Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, or to taste, then bring the soup to a simmer. Adjust the flavor to taste, adding a tablespoon of maple syrup if you need added sweetness, or a 1/4 cup of coconut milk, if you'd like added creaminess. You can also add an additional 1 cup of water, for a thinner soup consistency. In that case, just add more salt, as needed to boost the flavor.
- Let the flavors simmer together for 10 minutes on the stove, then serve warm. Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Update Note: This recipe has been updated in September 2021 to reflect my preferences. The original recipe from The Clean Plates cookbook is below, if you preferred that version. (Reposted with permission)
4 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
12 large garlic cloves, chopped
6 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 medium-size red onions, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
Preheat the oven to 500F. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and a generous sprinkle of salt and peppers. Transfer the mixture, along with any accumulated juices, to a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, skin side down, and roast until charred on the edges, about 40 minutes. Set aside and cool slightly, then slip the skins off the tomatoes.
In a large saucepan or small stockpot over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Stir in the roasted tomatoes, along with any accumulated juices, and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook gently to allow the flavors to blend, about 8 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite type of comfort soup?
This was so good! I halved the recipe. In my convection oven, I roasted the tomatoes at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Another winner. So full of flavor! I love this recipe and will be the new go to!
The best tomato soup I’ve ever eaten.
So delicious and so easy to make.
Thank you so much for sharing an amazing recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tomato soup! Thanks so much for the feedback, Reeso.
Soooo delicious! Didn’t need any of the additions like coconut milk or maple syrup.