Whether it’s a gloomy day, you’re feeling under the weather, or just craving a cozy meal, homemade tomato basil soup is sure to hit the spot. While this recipe is a little time intensive, much of the time is spent roasting tomatoes or simmering the soup. This tomato basil soup from scratch is well worth the effort in the end!
What is in Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe?
- Tomatoes: You can use what you have on hand. I generally use a mix of vine tomatoes and roma tomatoes.
- Garlic: Garlic goes in just about everything I make. You can adjust the number of cloves depending on your love or distaste for garlic. Roast the garlic with tomatoes for a different flavor.
- White wine: Cooking with wine is fun, not to mention it enhances flavor. If wine isn’t for you though, you can use a little more stock or broth instead.
- Chicken stock or broth: Only one or the other is needed for this recipe. I’ve tried it both ways but typically use chicken broth since that’s what I typically have on hand.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil is a must for this recipe. It gives the soup plenty of flavor, plus it smells great!
- Heavy cream: This gives the soup it’s creamy consistency. Be sure to simmer for at least 20 min after adding the heavy cream before serving.
Homemade Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
This recipe makes the perfect amount for two and you can still count on having some leftover for lunch or dinner the next day. Serve with a side salad, crackers, or my favorite, a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs tomatoes (whole canned tomatoes work too)
- 5-6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- Several leaves of fresh basil (torn)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and lightly coat the skins with a little olive oil. Place on a foil-lined cooking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The skins will blacken and separate from the tomato. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing the skins. The skins should peel right off.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Toss in the garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for about 4-5 minutes until reduced. Add the stock or broth and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, including the liquid. I usually pour in the tomatoes from the sheet of foil. Stir, cover the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Add the basil leaves and blend the mixture until smooth. An immersion blender is the easiest way to accomplish this. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a standard blender will do. Once the soup as reached the desired consistency, pour in the heavy cream. Stir the soup, cover, and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.
How to Give Tomato Basil Soup a Smooth Consistency
How do you make those chunks of tomatoes smooth? There are a couple of ways to go about this. The first method is to transfer the hot soup from the pot to a blender. Be careful as this can be tricky and dangerous. It may be worthwhile to let the soup cool for 15-20 min or so before attempting this.
The second and easiest method is to use an immersion blender. What is an immersion blender? It’s a hand-held blender that you can place right in liquid, perfect for hot soups and sauces. After attempting to pour the soup into a blender on a couple different occasions (mostly successful attempts I might add), I caved and purchased a cheap immersion blender. And let me tell you, it’s a game changer. While not often used, it’s a handy tool to have around for soups and sauces.
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