Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil (Printer-friendly)

Velvety tomato soup enhanced with roasted garlic, fresh basil, and crisp handmade croutons for cozy enjoyment.

# What you'll need:

→ Soup

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, plus extra for garnish
07 - 1 tsp sugar (optional)
08 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or plant-based cream (optional)

→ Croutons

11 - 3 cups day-old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
14 - 1/4 tsp salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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 - Place tomatoes (cut side up) and onions on the baking sheet, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
04 - Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tomatoes are soft and caramelized and garlic is golden.
05 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, oregano, and salt. Spread on a separate baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp.
06 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a large pot.
07 - Add roasted tomatoes, onions, vegetable broth, basil, and sugar (if using) to the pot with garlic.
08 - Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
09 - Using an immersion blender or countertop blender in batches, purée the soup until smooth and return to the pot.
10 - Stir in cream if desired, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
11 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with croutons and fresh basil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but requires nothing fancy—just your oven and a blender.
  • The roasted garlic is so creamy and sweet that you'd never guess it came from something you've always been slightly afraid of cooking.
  • Homemade croutons mean you get crispy edges in every spoonful without any of the stale bread taste.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, easily vegan, and feels like the warmest hug in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting stage—it's what separates this from ordinary tomato soup and turns both the tomatoes and garlic into something caramelized and deep.
  • Taste the soup after blending and before adding cream, because you might not need that optional swirl and you'll want to know the true flavor of what you've made.
  • Make the croutons fresh rather than ahead of time, because they're only truly crispy for the first 20 minutes and they're what make this soup special.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender rather than transferring hot soup to a countertop blender in batches—it's faster, safer, and you're less likely to burn yourself.
  • If the soup ever breaks or looks grainy after blending, whisk in a splash of cream or broth and it will smooth right back out.
  • Make extra croutons—they disappear before you realize it, and a hidden bowl of them in the kitchen is never a bad thing.

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