Tomato Bisque with Basil

Tomato Bisque with Basil is delicious any time of the year. Roasted plum tomatoes, onions and garlic are simmered with canned crushed tomatoes, Italian spices, and chicken stock. The cozy flavorful soup is finished with a couple pats of butter and fresh heavy cream for a delicious twist on a classic recipe.

Recipe review

A quick look at this recipe

• Recipe Name: Tomato Bisque with Basil
• Ready In: 10 minutes minutes prep, 1 hour 5 minutes cook time
• Makes: 3 quarts
• Calories: 117 per serving
• Main Ingredients: Tomatoes, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, butter, cream, basil
• Difficulty: Easy

This easy tomato basil soup recipe is a bowl of goodness. And it's even better when served with my Sausage Rolls. It's the perfect meal. Along with my Split Pea Soup with Ham and Creamy New England Clam Chowder, this delicious soup is a favorite.

I've made this soup countless times. The inspiration came from a Barefoot Contessa recipe. I love the idea of roasting the vegetables to bring out robust tomato flavor. Taking it a flavor step further, the onions and garlic are roasted too.

Growing up, a frequent lunch was a bowl of Campbell's tomato soup with some Polish kluski noodles. My roasted tomato soup recipe is my grown up version of a childhood favorite.

This creamy tomato soup recipe is perfect for any time of the year. Of course the most flavorful fresh tomatoes are available in the summer months. But by roasting the winter time tomatoes along with onions and garlic, it brings out a deep rich smokey flavor with a touch of sweetness.

Why you'll love this tomato soup recipe

This easy recipe is a keeper, and one you'll love for many reasons.

• Easy to make ~ The slicing and dicing is the most labor intense part of the recipe. Just sit back while the vegetables roast. Then the smokey tomatoes, onions and garlic simmer with canned tomatoes, chicken stock and spices. The finishing touch is a pat of butter and some heavy whipping cream.
• Flavor-packed ~ Your taste buds will be satisfied with this rich and flavorful soup. Roasting the tomatoes, onions and garlic brings out their natural sweetness and intensifies their flavor.
• Enough for leftovers ~ This easy recipe makes 3 quarts of the best tomato soup. There's enough to enjoy today and freeze some for an easy meal in the future.

Ingredients & substitutions

Gather the ingredients to make this easy tomato soup recipe. If substitutes can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

• Plum or Roma fresh tomatoes ~ These economical tomatoes are perfect for this homemade and tasty soup.
• Yellow onions ~ Vidalia onions are an alternative.
• Fresh garlic ~ Skip garlic powder for this delicious recipe.
• Olive oil ~ Avocado oil is an alternative.
• Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
• Fresh ground black pepper ~ Grinding your own pepper is more flavorful than already ground pepper.
• Canned crushed tomatoes ~ Canned peeled whole plum tomatoes are an option. Crush them by hand before adding them to the soup.
• Basil ~ Fresh basil is my first choice for, but dried can also be used.
• Thyme ~ Only a smidgen of dried thyme is needed for the homemade soup.
• Reduced sodium chicken stock ~ If you have homemade stock, by all means use it. Regular canned or boxed chicken stock is an option. As they can be salty, adjust the amount of salt you add to the soup. Just make sure whatever stock you use is gluten free.
• Baking soda
• Salted butter ~ Unsalted butter is an alternative.
• Heavy whipping cream ~ To achieve a rich tomato bisque type soup, heavy whipping cream is my recommendation. Light cream or half and half can also be used, but the soup won't be as decadent.

How to make tomato bisque soup

Combine the simple ingredients using everyday kitchen tools to make my creamy tomato soup. This is a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions and a step by step video.

Step 1

Place chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic in a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and pepper. Roast in a 425 degree F oven for about 45 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a stock pot. Add the canned crushed tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3

The soup will be slightly chunky at this point. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

Step 4

Turn off the heat and add the baking soda, butter and cream. Stir to combine and season to taste.

Hint

To reduce the acidity in a recipe, add a bit of baking soda. Tomatoes are high in acid. A smidgen of baking soda counteracts it.

Variations

Try some of these creative ways to make this creamy tomato soup recipe one of your favorites.

• Spicy ~ Along with the other seasonings, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
• Protein ~ Stir in cooked and shredded chicken or cooked small shrimp.
• Grains and pasta ~ Stir in cooked rice or quinoa. Also try adding cooked gluten free pasta.
• Toppings ~ Crumbled crisp bacon, sauteed onions, shredded cheese (try cheddar, mozzarella or Swiss), croutons, oyster crackers or some pesto all make delicious toppers.

Expert tips

• Tip 1: Let the tomatoes, onions, and garlic roast without disturbing them. That way they will get a nice char. It's the char that adds the smoky flavor you want.
• Tip 2: To make this tomato soup extra creamy, velvety and decadent, stir in some salted butter and heavy whipping cream. Skip low fat or nonfat milk. The lower fat content in these milk products are more likely to curdle when added to hot soup.

Recommended equipment

Having the right equipment can make cooking and baking a breeze. I recommend the following kitchen utensils and equipment for this recipe.

• cutting boards
• chef knife
• metal measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• baking sheet
• large stock pot
• spatula
• immersion blender or blender
• soup bowls

Storage and heating

• Storage ~ Completely cool the soup before storing in airtight containers. I like these 1 quart glass jars for refrigerator storage. When freezing the soup, these 1 quart deli containers are my favorite. The soup will stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Heating ~ Heat the soup in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until the soup is heated through. Alternately heat the soup in the microwave. Place a serving of tomato soup in a microwave safe container. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a paper towel. Microwave at 60% power for 1 minute. Stir and continue heating at 30 second intervals until heating through. If frozen, thaw the soup in the refrigerator before heating.

Frequently asked questions

Use vegetable stock or broth instead of the chicken stock. Omit the butter and heavy whipping cream. Coconut cream can be used in its place. But it will add a slight coconut flavor to the soup.

Use an immersion blender or a blender to make tomato soup smooth.

What to serve with tomato soup

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