Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese “Croutons” [+ Video]
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
I know that I can’t be the only one that still has tomato coming out her ears. Right? I was wracking my brain about what to do with our huge colander stacked high with tomatoes, when I suddenly thought, what if I use those flavors, but make a soup to help move us into fall?
DING DING DING! Creamy tomato basil soup with mini grilled cheese croutons was born.
I love those little grilled cheese bites that act like little croutons in the soup. I’m not even kidding, it’s so delicious together.
The best soup is always made when you roast the veggies first. Roasting tomatoes always sounds a little fancy when in fact it’s the easiest thing you can do in the kitchen. Slice, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven.
Ingredients in Roasted Tomato Soup
To make this easy fresh tomato soup recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Fresh tomatoes
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Salt and pepper
- Dark brown sugar
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Fresh basil
- Baguette
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Butter
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
Making tomato soup with fresh tomatoes is easier than you might think! Here’s an overview of the recipe:
- Roast the tomatoes until soft.
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Let the tomatoes cool for a few minutes, then place into a blender. Puree until you have 3 cups.
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Drizzle some olive oil in a large sauce pot, then heat until shimmering.
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Add the garlic and onions and cook until fragrant.
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Add the tomato puree you just made, tomato juice from the roasting pan, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
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Stir and then allow to come to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.
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Add the cream and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- While the fresh tomato soup is simmering away, prep the grilled cheese croutons.
- When the soup is done, top with croutons and dig in!
FAQ
How Long Does Tomato Soup Last?
Creamy tomato basil soup will keep 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Tomato Soup?
Good news: tomato soups freeze very well! However, we recommend leaving the cream out if planning on freezing this soup. Stir the cream in when you’re reheating the frozen soup!
What Are the Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup?
We recommend using Roma tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes for this creamy tomato basil soup. Avoid using beefsteak tomatoes, as we find they lack the bold flavor this soup needs.
Tips for Making Fresh Tomato Soup
- If you’d like to make this tomato soup healthier, you can use a blend of heavy cream and unsweetened almond milk. Or, use all unsweetened almond milk!
- For an extra punch of flavor, try adding a few shakes of dried Italian herbs and / or red pepper flakes to this soup as it’s simmering.
- You can use really any kind of bread you’d like to make the grilled cheese croutons. We just like using a baguette since it crisps up nicely.
More Easy Soup Recipes:
- Meatball Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Taco Chili Soup
- One-Pot Zuppa Toscana
- The Ultimate Cheeseburger Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cheesy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Classic Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Brown Butter Cauliflower Soup
- Homemade Egg Drop Soup
- All of our soup recipes!
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Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Roasted tomatoes:
- 8-12 Tomatoes , chopped in quarters (depending on the size is how many you'll need)
- 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
Soup:
- 2 Tablespoons Onion , chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic , minced
- 3 Cups Roasted Tomato Puree (from the above; place in a blender and puree until desired texture)
- 1 Cup Juice from roasting , seeds strained out
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil , chopped
Grilled cheese croutons:
- Baguette , sliced into crostinis
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
- Butter
Instructions
Roast the tomatoes:
- Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet that has been lightly drizzled with olive oil.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Roast at 425F for 20-40 minutes or until shriveled and soft.
- Remove from the oven.
Make the soup:
- Let tomatoes cool for a few minutes and then place the tomatoes, reserving the juices, into a blender (we use Blendtec) and puree until you have 3 cups. If you come up short just add tomato sauce to reach 3 cups.
- Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large sauce pot.
- Heat over medium high heat until shimmering.
- Add the garlic and onions, turn down to medium and stir frequently.
- Allow to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato puree, juice, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
- Stir and then allow to come to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes and turn down to a simmer.
- Add the cream and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Make the grilled cheese croutons:
- Meanwhile, place mozzarella between slices of the baguette, butter the outside and cook in a skillet over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden. (You're just making little grilled cheeses)
- Remove to a cutting board and chop into 1/2 to 1-inch squares.
- Fill a bowl with soup, fresh basil and mini grilled cheese croutons. Enjoy!