Description
A warm, comforting, and creamy roasted tomato soup with caramelized garlic and homemade garlic croutons that add a perfect crunchy contrast. This family-friendly soup is perfect for fall evenings and easy to make with pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) fresh tomatoes (Roma or vine-ripened)
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 150g), roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth, low sodium
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- A handful fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices crusty day-old bread (sourdough or rustic country loaf)
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (for croutons)
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Optional: ¼ cup (25g) shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice tomatoes in half and roughly chop onion. Slice top off garlic head to expose cloves.
- Drizzle tomatoes, onion, and garlic head with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread cut-side up on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 35-45 minutes until tomatoes are caramelized and garlic is soft and golden.
- While veggies roast, cut bread into bite-sized cubes.
- Heat butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add bread cubes and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden and crispy. Set aside.
- Once roasted garlic has cooled slightly, squeeze cloves out of skins.
- Add roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth to a large pot.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add more broth if soup is too thick.
- Place pot on medium heat. Stir in heavy cream and chopped basil.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with garlic croutons.
- Optionally, sprinkle shredded Parmesan or drizzle olive oil on top before serving.
Notes
[‘Don’t rush roasting; caramelization is key for deep flavor.’, ‘Save the roasting juices and add them to the soup for extra flavor.’, ‘Garlic croutons add essential crunchy texture; don’t skip them.’, ‘Use fresh basil for brightness; dried basil is not recommended.’, ‘Adjust cream quantity to taste for lighter or richer soup.’, ‘Store soup and croutons separately to maintain crouton crunch.’, ‘Vegan version: substitute heavy cream with coconut or cashew cream and butter with olive oil; omit Parmesan.’, ‘Soup freezes well without cream; add cream after reheating.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: roasted tomato soup, creamy tomato soup, garlic croutons, fall soup, comfort food, vegetarian soup, easy soup recipe