This roast tomato soup is easy to make, freezable and full of delicious flavor. Served with crisp basil-butter croutons, it's a bowl of summer whenever you have it.
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I got quite excited last week when we managed to harvest the first of the tomatoes in our garden, and it was delicious. Learning from last year, I decided to go for a couple of different varieties of heirloom tomatoes and we have a few fruit gradually making their way to being edible. My son is keeping track for us, just as he did with the peas and the broccoli, although stopping him from picking too early can be tricky.
When I say 'garden', don't be misled - we have a small city space and our vegetable plot is only about the size of a beach towel, so inevitably we need to supplement supplies.
The farmers market is great for that and is such a lovely mix of summer colors at the moment. Plus, it's nice to get some extra produce to make a few things that preserve some of the flavors of summer for later in the year, as is the theme of this week's Sunday Supper.
I could think of few better ways to enjoy summer flavors for longer than with this delicious roast tomato soup with basil-butter croutons.
Tomato soup is one that can vary so much in how good it is, from watery and/or dulled down with too much cream, to rich and flavorful.
This roast tomato soup is definitely on the flavorful end of the scale, with the roasting bringing out all the delicious flavor from the tomatoes, and with a little extra flavor, sweetness and thickness from some additional roasted carrot, onion and garlic. It's bright and has that taste of summer but is also warming and hearty as well.
How to make roast tomato soup
Making the soup might technically take some time but there is minimal effort, as you just leave everything to roast, then blend it up with some stock. If you're freezing, that's it, otherwise warm it through and make your croutons to go on top.
The croutons are really easy as well, and the tasty, buttery crunch, with a slight basil note coming through as well, goes perfectly with the soup. The basil butter can also be frozen, since fresh basil in the winter can be harder to find or just not as good.
This is such a tasty soup that I loved having a little of just now as I made it, but am looking forward to enjoying even more when the weather gets colder and I whip this out of the freezer.
I remember last year wiping red soup off my son's face and hands as he happily enjoyed some roast tomato soup with us, and am sure we'll do the same again this year. I might need to make a few batches while the tomatoes are so good.
Try these other tasty soups:
- Wild mushroom soup
- German pancake soup (broth with strips of pancake like noodles)
- Avgolemono soup (Greek lemon and chicken soup)
- Brussel sprout soup with crispy bacon and chestnut
- Pea and mint soup
- Plus get more lunch recipes in the archives.
Roast tomato soup with basil-butter croutons
Ingredients
- 2 lb tomatoes 900g
- 4 oz carrots 110g
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt approx
- ½ teaspoon pepper approx
- 1 tablespoon olive oil approx
- 2 sprigs thyme or approx ½tsp dried
- 2 cups chicken stock 480ml, or vegetable
For basil-butter croutons
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 slice bread crusts removed, pos 2 if smaller
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
- Slice each of the tomatoes in half across the grain and lay them in an oven dish, cut side up. It's fine if they are quite tightly packed, but have them in one layer.
- Finely chop one clove of garlic and sprinkle it over the top of the tomatoes, along with some salt and pepper, the leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme and around 1-2tbsp of olive oil.
- Scrape or peel the carrots, and chop off the end, peel the onion and cut both into large chunks. Peel the other clove of garlic but leave whole. Toss all with a little olive oil and put in a separate oven dish (or along with the tomatoes, if you have space.
- Place the tomatoes, carrot and onion into he oven and roast for around 1 hour until the tomatoes are starting to caramelize on top, and the carrots are tender.
- Remove from oven and put all in a blender with the stock, making sure you get all the nice juices from the oven dishes (I tend to put some of the stock in the dish to help clean it out then pour in with the rest of the ingredients). Blend until smooth. If freezing, transfer to container(s) suitable for the freezer.
- When using, either immediately or after defrosting, heat the soup through and simmer a few minutes before serving.
- To make the basil butter, mash together the butter, chopped basil and lemon juice until well combined. If you want to freeze, then form it into a ball/log in cling wrap and put in a freezer bag.
- To use, cut off a chunk big enough for the number of bowls you are serving (around 2tbsp is enough for two bowls), melt it in a skillet/frying pan then add small-diced chunks of bread. Cook for a couple minutes until lightly brown and crisp, turn then cook the other side before serving on top of the bowls of soup.
Notes
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
See all the other ideas for preserving summer flavors:
Canning
- Blackberry Chia Seed Jam from Books -n- Cooks
- Cherry Lemon Jam from Food Lust People Love
- Chocolate Blackberry Preserves from The Redhead Baker
- Hamburger Dill Chips from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Piri Piri Hot Sauce from Curious Cuisiniere
- Southwestern Salsa from The Freshman Cook
- Spiced Vanilla Rhubarb Jam from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Strawberry Balsamic Syrup from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Watermelon Butter from Palatable Pastime
Dehydrating
- Blueberry Peach Fruit Roll-Ups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Fermentation
- Fermented Spicy Daikon Spears + A Cocktail from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pickling
- Black Radish Pickles from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles from Life Tastes Good
Preserving in oil or butter
- Garden Herb Butter from An Appealing Plan
- Spinach and Pistachio Pesto from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Aruna says
The soup is so nourishing and delicious. I love the flavour of basil.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Aruna, it is a really tasty soup. I will probably have to make some more if I can find space in the freezer!
Jennifer Stewart says
I love the butter basil croutons! Tomato soup is one of my favorite comfort foods and so easy to make! Thanks for taking it to the next level! #SaucySaturdays
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Jennifer, we love tomato soup too. So delicious.
Denise Wright says
This looks so fresh and delicious! We have so many tomatoes from our garden that I have to make this.... I think i will make this and freeze for fall. It will be nice to get that fresh tomato taste. Thanks for a great recipe/post!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Denise, I am already looking forward to the batch I have in the freezer!
Laura says
This sounds glorious - I like the addition of thyme too.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Laura - that's actually how I roast tomatoes to make a pasta sauce as well and it's a nice flavor in there.
Judi Graber says
An interesting twist to tomato soup - I don't roast my tomatoes but I am sure this method adds some great flavor!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Judi, yes I love the flavor of roast tomatoes and that definitely comes through in this soup.
CakePants says
I really like that this soup is dairy-free, which is especially perfect for summer. Too much cream in soups leaves me feeling weighed down - not a great feeling in the hot summer months! Those basil croutons look fantastic too...I might have to make extra for snacking on!
Caroline's Cooking says
I can understand what you mean - the lack of cream does help keep it a little lighter and means you get all the delicious flavors a bit more too. And yes, croutons are always good to snack on sometimes!
Brian says
We have a stack load of tomatos every year and turing them in to soup is one of our faves!, we add a little Balsamic vinegar / oil to ours as well. Thanks for sharing from handmade hangout
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Brian, yes balsamic is also a great flavor with tomatoes - we have that in other forms often as well.
Lydia @ Thrifty Frugal Mom says
Oh, I bet the roasting really gives a great flavor! Sounds like a great way to use up a bumper crop of tomatoes!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Lydia, it does give a lovely depth of flavor and is a great way to use up tomatoes (or excuse to buy some more!).
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
I love tomato soup and I have plenty of tomatoes to try a batch! Yum!
Caroline's Cooking says
I hope you manage to give it a go and like it, Cindy!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
Your recipe sounds perfect. I can almost taste it.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Wendy, it is delicious.
Hezzi-D says
I love tomato soup with croutons on top! This roasted soup looks amazing!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, it's definitely a favorite here too!
Liz says
This is my daughter's favorite soup! I'm going to try your recipe for sure. And the basil butter croutons sound like a fabulous addition 🙂
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Liz, it's funny I didn't used to like tomato soup but I think I just didn't have good ones, but now I love it too!
Renee says
I wish that market was near me. Wow at the produce! And what a great way to save tomatoes with making and freezing this soup.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, Renee, we are lucky this time of year (but sadly no market for about half the year with the cold). Soup is definitely a great way to enjoy summer flavors a bit longer and this is a favorite.