Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil (Printable)
Velvety blend of roasted garlic, ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil in an aromatic, comforting soup.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
03 - 1 head garlic, top sliced off
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
→ Herbs & Seasonings
05 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Pantry
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 3 cups vegetable broth
→ Dairy (optional)
11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, for swirling (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place tomatoes cut side up, onion, carrot, and garlic head on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until tomatoes are blistered and garlic is soft and golden.
04 - Allow garlic to cool slightly, then squeeze the softened cloves from the bulb.
05 - Transfer roasted vegetables and extracted garlic to a large pot. Add vegetable broth, fresh basil leaves, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes if using.
06 - Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
07 - Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or blend carefully in batches in a countertop blender.
08 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
09 - Stir in heavy cream if desired for extra richness.
10 - Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasting step does all the heavy lifting—flavors intensify while you relax.
- It tastes like you spent hours on it, but the actual hands-on time is barely fifteen minutes.
- One pot, minimal fussing, and you end up with something elegant enough for guests.
02 -
- Don't skip the roasting step or try to speed it up—that's where the entire flavor profile lives.
- Fresh basil added at the end tastes bright; if you add it during cooking, it'll turn dark and musty.
- If your soup is too acidic after blending, a tiny pinch of sugar helps more than you'd expect.
03 -
- Buy tomatoes that smell fragrant at the base—they should feel heavy for their size, which means juice and flavor.
- Don't blend the soup completely smooth unless you love that silky texture; leaving it slightly chunky keeps things interesting.