Fresh from the Garden Homemade Roasted Roma Tomato Soup
Making homemade tomato soup only requires a handful of ingredients. Some fresh herbs, fresh ripe tomatoes, a regular blender, and your own garden or the farmers market and you’re in business. Enjoy this delicious soup soon or store the dairy free versions in freezer bags or an airtight container to enjoy a taste of summer in the winter months.
A Simple Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
We’re finally getting rain here in Virginia and the fresh tomatoes are still growing on the vine. I know I’ll have to rip them out of the garden before too long, but since we got a late start to planting things this summer my tomatoes are still going and I’m glad I don’t have to turn to canned tomatoes just yet.
Ever in search of an easy weeknight meal with fresh ingredients my roma tomatoes became slow roasted and then blended to become a delicious homemade soup last week. I may have been quick to make a reel that evening, but I need that recipe to live in this space so that it doesn’t disappear.
Even if you don’t have homegrown tomatoes growing in your garden you can find great deals on summer heirloom tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and a variety of tomato types towards the end of the tomato season. Many farmer stands sell boxes of a lot of tomatoes at a discounted price, knowing people may turn them into salsa or tomato sauce. With a 6 month old on my hip, this slow roasted soup option was much more up our alley this year.
My Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
Take your Roma tomatoes from the garden and cut them in half. You can use a pairing knife to take out the tough middle, or leave it. Place them cut side up on a jelly roll pan, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and a little sugar. On the tray we added sliced yellow onion and a bunch of garlic cloves too. Add some sprigs of thyme if you have it!
Set your oven to 300 and slow roast for 2-3 hours. The roasted tomatoes are so sweet and delicious! You’ll be wanting more tomato plants next year.
Once everything is roasted, dump it into your dutch oven, add 3 cups of vegetable broth and blend! I liked ours with a little texture still there. You could add heavy cream at this point if you want it creamier, but we didn’t.
No extra salt or pepper was needed for us but check to your liking. Some crushed red pepper would be a delicious add-in, or you could even add some roasted peppers from a jar if you had those on hand too! Garnish with basil if you have it, or throw in a dollop of pesto.
We served this with salad and sourdough. It was simple and delicious. My family usually misses meat, but with this meal they were somehow satisfied. I’ll take it!
Tips on Tools
If you don’t have a blender, simply use an immersion blender. I love mine and can’t imagine going without it. The immersion blender works great in this case because you can decide the desired consistency and if you’d like a chunky or creamy tomato soup.
If you’re without either of those you could use a food processor, but I’d recommend making sure the tomatoes aren’t too hot when you blend them up! Return the mixture to a large soup pot and place on medium-high heat until warm.
Elevating Your Soup
There are so many ways to make this simple good tomato soup even more delicious. To the tomato mixture you could add a drizzle of heavy cream, some red pepper flakes for a kick, or swirl in some coconut milk off the heat if you’re wanting a creamier soup. If you have a balsamic vinegar glaze you may even like that. Homemade croutons? Done. Parmesan cheese on top would be a must in my book, and while you’re at it a good grind of black pepper. The best way to add a lot of flavor all summer long is by adding fresh basil leaves you’ve chopped up. Little beats fresh basil and summer tomatoes.
If you make this fresh tomato soup recipe be sure to let me know. I’d love to hear if you take your own spin on things, maybe adding tomato paste if you like it thicker, a drizzle of high quality olive oil on top. What if you paired it with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich? Yum!
I love sharing simple recipes like this. Garden fresh tomato soup is just one more way to enjoy the flavor of summer now, or if you freeze it for months to come!
Roasted Homemade Garden Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds tomatoes roman, plum, cherry or other varieties
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 tsp dried thyme works too
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2-3 cups vegetable broth adjust based on desired consistency
- ½ cup heavy cream if using
- ½ cup chopped basil if using
Instructions
- Take your Roma tomatoes from the garden and cut them in half. You can use a pairing knife to take out the tough middle, or leave it.
- Place tomatoes cut side up on a jelly roll pan, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little sugar. On the tray we added sliced onion and a bunch of garlic too. Add some sprigs of thyme if you have it!
- Set your oven to 300℉ and roast for 2-3 hours
- Once everything is roasted, dump it into your dutch oven or other large pot, add 3 cups of vegetable broth and blend! I liked ours with a little texture still there.
- No extra salt or pepper was needed for us but check to your liking. Some crushed red pepper would be a delicious add-in, or you could even add some roasted peppers from a jar if you had those on hand too! Garnish with basil if you have it, or throw in a dollop of pesto.
- Serve with crusty bread and a salad and dinner is done!
