This Roasted Tomato Soup is perfectly easy, packed with flavor, and a great way to use fresh tomatoes
The best Roasted Tomato Soup always tastes fresh and rich and this one is no exception. This creamy roasted tomato soup is actually dairy-free!
Roasting the tomatoes, onions, and garlic creates a mouthwatering depth of flavor. Adding dried or fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, or oregano gives it an added flavor that can’t be beat.
We are big fans of tomatoes because they can be used as a colorful add-in, such as in our Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, or Pesto Pasta Salad. But they can also be the star of the show like we’ve featured in our Tomato Galette recipe or the simple Tomato Burrata Salad.
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Ingredients for creamy Tomato Soup:
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that uses basic ingredients!
- Tomatoes – we use fresh garden tomatoes, such as Roma’s, but any variety of small to medium-sized ripe tomatoes will work. You’ll need 48 ounces (3 pounds) total, canned or fresh. Try a tomato mixture such as cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or grape tomatoes. The best tomatoes are the ones you have on hand!
- Yellow Onion – or substitute white onion
- Fresh Garlic – we roast 2 whole cloves for this recipe but add more if you love garlic
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Olive Oil – helps bring out extra flavor while roasting
- Vegetable Broth – or use chicken stock or chicken broth, especially if adding shredded chicken later
- Dried or Fresh Italian Herbs – or any combo of rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme and marjoram
- OPTIONAL: Coconut Cream for dairy free, otherwise use heavy cream or half & half as a garnish swirl
- OPTIONAL for garnish: Fresh basil leaves, Homemade croutons, or homemade tortilla strips (or store-bought), or to keep it gluten-free use roasted garbanzo beans or a drizzle of fresh Pesto Sauce.
How to make Roasted Tomato Soup:
- Thickly cut tomatoes and onions to roughly the same size.
- Place an oven rack on the second-highest slot in the oven and heat the broiler on low.
- Add tomatoes, onions, and unpeeled garlic cloves to a large rimmed baking sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix gently to coat.
- If using canned tomatoes start by roasting the onions and garlic and then add the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes only. See below for more on canned vs. fresh tomatoes.
- Broil for 15-20 minutes (on the second-highest rack of the oven) until the tomatoes and onions start to have a slight char and are becoming soft. This will help them develop a natural sweetness.
- Remove from oven and peel the garlic. If using fresh herbs chop them lightly.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven add the broth and Italian herbs. Bring to a simmer.
- Add roasted garlic, tomatoes, and onions to the pot. Be sure to scrape the baking sheet and add the oil and charred bits to the soup pot because there is lots of flavor on the baking sheet!
- Bring the pot to a low boil over medium heat, and then let the soup gently simmer for about 20 minutes. The tomatoes will start to foam and fall apart.
- Remove from the heat.
- Blend gently with an immersion blender until completely smooth (see more about immersion blending below).
- If you do not have an immersion blender, ladle soup into a regular blender, in small batches, and blend until you have a smooth and creamy soup. (Use caution and for best results do not fill the blender past the halfway point as hot liquid will rise up and expand when blended).
- Serve in 4 bowls and, if desired, swirl in some coconut cream (or half & half) and then top with any garnishes.
- If you would like a super creamy soup add a little bit of coconut milk or a splash of cream. Want it a little spicier? Add a dash of red pepper flakes.
Tomatoes: Fresh or Canned?
Fresh ripe tomatoes make this soup extra special, but if it’s not tomato season just substitute high-quality canned whole tomatoes from the grocery store. We love the flavor of canned whole San Marzano tomatoes because they have the best flavor.
If using canned tomatoes start by roasting the onions and garlic and then add the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes only.
Why roast tomatoes for soup?
This easy soup has a beautifully deep, concentrated flavor because the onions, tomatoes, and garlic are roasted in the oven until lightly caramelized. When you caramelize vegetables they take on a rich flavor, and the roasting removes some of the sharp acidity of the tomatoes.
- Cut tomato pieces and onion pieces about the same size to ensure even roasting. We sliced our Roma’s in half.
- Cook until you have light browning and a soft char on low broil.
- The onions and tomatoes should be soft in about 20 minutes under a low broiler.
- The garlic cloves should be cooked unpeeled and then peeled after roasting. This helps keep the cloves soft.
Tips for great tomato soup:
- This delicious Roasted Tomato Soup recipe was developed by my sister who is gluten-free and dairy-free. As a result, she is a master at getting all the flavor from her veggies!
- Her top tips is: don’t skip scraping the baking sheet when you add the tomato to the soup pan because there is a lot of flavor in the olive oil and seasonings.
- This great recipe is really versatile so feel free to add more herbs – especially fresh basil
- Use ripe tomatoes for the best flavor. This fresh tomato soup is the perfect way to use up your end of summer tomatoes
- The final texture is up to you so blend this soup however chunky or smooth you prefer. I love mine pretty smooth, so I typically blend it for a few minutes until I get it to the desired consistency. If you want it super smooth you can strain it, as well.
Pair it with crusty bread for dunking, or a creamy grilled cheese sandwich and you’ve got the perfect lunch. This soup can also become a base recipe for any hearty tomato-based soup by adding additional cooked vegetables, diced or shredded chicken, cooked white beans, rice, or potatoes.
Storage and Leftovers
Like all great soup this one tastes even better the next day! Just leave off the optional add-ins or fresh garnishes.
- REFRIGERATE: Cool the soup and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Gently reheat
- FREEZER: Cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and gently reheat. We suggest freezing in individual serving sizes.
Immersion Blending technique:
I love my immersion blender, also called a stick blender, because it makes blending safe and quick in the same pot. When blending with an immersion blender make sure you are using a very deep heavy-bottomed pot to avoid any splashing of hot liquids. Ideally, you want to blend ingredients at least an inch from the bottom to ensure even blending.
Garnishes for Roasted Tomato Soup:
It’s always nice to add a little color and crunch to the top of any soup! Here are our favorites:
- Homemade Tortilla strips or pieces like we use in our Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Homemade Garlic Croutons like the ones we made for Grilled Caesar Salad
- Roasted Garbanzo Beans
- Garlic bread with parsley
- A swirl of Pesto Sauce
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Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- large soup pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Tomatoes with stems removed, halved or quartered or 48-ounces canned unsalted whole tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, cut into thick slices
- 2 cloves garlic, UNPEELED
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs, dried or 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs
- ½ cup Coconut cream Optional garnish, (or half & half)
- 1 cup croutons, tortilla strips, or toasted garbanzo beans Optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven broiler on low.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet add the tomatoes, onions, and unpeeled garlic cloves. *See NOTE below if using canned whole tomatoes.Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Gently mix to coat.
- Broil on low for 15-20 minutes, on the second-highest rack of the oven, until the tomatoes start to have a slight char and are becoming soft. Remove softened garlic and peel it.
- In a large stockpot add the vegetable broth and Italian herbs. Bring to a simmer. Add tomato mixture, including garlic, scraping the baking sheet to include seasonings and olive oil.
- Bring the pot to a medium boil and continue to gently simmer for 20 minutes, until tomatoes start to foam and break apart.
- Remove from heat.
- Using an immersion blender begin blending on low and continue until smooth.Alternately, if you do not have an immersion blender, ladle soup into a blender, in small batches, and blend until smooth. Use caution and do not fill the blender past the halfway point as hot liquid will rise up and expand when blended.
- Swirl in coconut cream (or half & half), if desired, for garnish.
- Serve and garnish with tortilla strips, croutons, garlic bread, or toasted garbanzo beans
- For extra smooth soup strain the soup before serving.
Notes
- REFRIGERATE: Cool the soup and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Gently reheat
- FREEZER: Cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and gently reheat. We suggest freezing in individual serving sizes.
Kechi
This tomato looks rich and amazingly delicious! I love that it is dairy-free. I will love to give this a try; thanks for sharing!
Dannii
The flavour of this was amazing. Such a great way to use up all our tomatoes.
Charla
One of my favourite soups of all time, especially with some rustic bread to mop it up.
Anjali
Roasting the tomatoes added such great flavor to this soup! I paired it with grilled cheese for an easy dinner!
Cyndy
That sounds like the perfect combo!
Kristen
I made this for lunch today and it was perfect. Such a tasty soup!
Vicky
Tomato soup is a favorite at our house! Love trying any new tomato soup recipe and this ones sounds amazing and simple!
Annissa
I have been craving tomato soup lately. This recipe sounds wonderful. I love the idea of roasting the tomatoes. Roasting always brings out so much flavor.
Beth
This looks so delicious and yummy! My husband and kids are going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Brianna
Tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food and this version looks delish!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
I love, love, love, roasted tomato soup! It’s the perfect comfort food recipe for fall! Especially with grilled cheese, yummy!
Paula Parisi
I made this last night and it was delish! Super easy! I added some zucchini and a little more broth and it was very tasty. I served it in a bowl with croutons, topped with shredded iceberg lettuce and real bacon pieces. Tasted like a BLT. So good. Thank you Cyndi!
Jayne
Sounds amazing – everything is better with bacon!