Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Soup (Printable)
Velvety tomato soup with roasted garlic, fresh basil, and crisp croutons for ultimate comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Soup Base
01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large head garlic
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
07 - 1 tsp sugar
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
→ Croutons
11 - 3 cups day-old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/4 tsp salt
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Cut the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, wrap in foil, and place on a baking sheet.
03 - Arrange the tomatoes and onions on the baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30–35 minutes until soft and caramelized.
04 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, oregano, and salt. Spread on a separate baking sheet and bake for 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp.
05 - Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins once the vegetables are done.
06 - In a large pot, combine roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, vegetable broth, basil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
07 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in cream if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with croutons and fresh basil.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Roasted garlic tastes nothing like raw garlic—it becomes almost buttery and sweet, turning a simple tomato soup into something restaurant-worthy.
- The whole thing comes together on one oven sheet (well, two if you count croutons), which means you're not standing over a stove watching things boil.
- Homemade croutons make a real difference, and somehow they taste better than anything you'd buy, especially when they're still warm.
02 -
- Day-old bread is essential for croutons—fresh bread holds too much moisture and ends up chewy instead of crispy, which changes everything about the texture contrast.
- Don't skip the roasting step; it's the single thing that separates this from ordinary tomato soup, and it only adds fifteen minutes to the total time.
- Blend the soup until it's completely smooth—any graininess or chunks will make it feel rough rather than luxurious, which defeats the whole purpose.
03 -
- Cut your tomatoes and onions to roughly the same size so they roast evenly—uneven pieces will cook at different rates and some will burn while others are still soft.
- Keep the foil on your garlic during roasting so it steams slightly while it roasts; this keeps it moist and tender rather than drying out and turning bitter.