Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I’m convinced that tomatoes and basil are soulmates. Their flavors just contrast and complement each other so well, and this roasted tomato and basil soup is like a summer explosion on your tongue. I know, you’re probably thinking, “soup in the summer??” But this tomato soup recipe is so easy and yet still tastes amazingly fresh – making it perfect for a quick prep dinner so you can spend more time outside by the pool. Also, fall is just a few short weeks away, so we can put that last bumper crop of tomatoes to good use. For a classic meal, pair this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich and you seriously can’t go wrong.

This summer, our tomato crop has produced so much that the plant branches are bowed over onto the ground. We’ve had to scramble to pick them all before they go to waste, although our chickens are really enjoying the too-far-gone ones. Our crop has been tossed in salads, made into creamy homemade marinara sauce, piled on top of cheese burgers, paired with goat cheese and thyme on a flaky tart, and even sliced and frozen and we STILL HAVE MORE TOMATOES. Another item we have in abundance is basil. In desperation, my mind went to the idea of tomato soup with the basil pesto mixed in. Stay with me here – it’s genius. The pesto just swirls around in the soup and gives it a garden fresh and nutty flavor.

This recipe will be more convenient if you have an oven safe pot, like a dutch oven. Unfortunately, I do not yet own a dutch oven (although I do have a beautiful bluish gray one on my Amazon wish list), so I just used my cast iron skillet and transferred the tomato mixture into a stovetop pot. But ideally, this can easily be a “one pot meal.”

For the grilled cheese sandwiches, do yourself a favor and use Brioche bread. IT IS A GAME CHANGER. The texture is so flaky and thick, it literally melts in your mouth. Making grilled cheese sandwiches is a bit of an undertaking in our home, because my husband can easily put away four of them. I honestly feel like I’m cooking for a small army most of the time.

The tomatoes you use can be whatever you have in season right now – fat and juicy heirlooms, cherry tomatoes that burst in your mouth, meaty beefsteaks… you get the idea. Just throw them all together with some garlic, onions, thyme, olive oil, and some seasonings and let the roasting process bring out the natural flavors and mingle them all together. After they’ve roasted, you are going to want to let them cool for a bit before you gently remove the skin (it should almost fall off if you’ve roasted them long enough). Once the tomatoes are peeled, you’re going to put the mixture into a blender and puree it until it’s the consistency that you desire in a soup, and then transfer it back to its original pot to warm it up on the stove. Add some cream and pesto, some Parmesan cheese if you so desire, and voilà – a perfect batch of roasted tomato soup.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Tomato Soup

• 4 cups of fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Three sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup of heavy cream/whole milk
• 1/3 cup of basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
• Shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper for topping

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups of fresh basil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup of pine nuts
• ¾  cup of olive oil
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS  

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.
2. In an oven safe pot, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
3. Place the pot in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and begin to char lightly. Let it sit out and cool slightly – about 7 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for the basil pesto, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
5. After the roasted tomatoes have cooled, remove the skins and transfer the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the now smooth mixture back into the pot.
6. Stir in the cream/milk and basil pesto.
7. Pour into individual bowls and top with shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you guys! And of course, if you do make this recipe and share it on Instagram, tag me @jessicalenhert so I can see your masterpiece.