Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil (Printable)

Slow-roasted garlic and ripe tomatoes combine with fresh basil topped with crisp golden croutons.

# What goes in:

→ Soup

01 - 8 ripe tomatoes, quartered (approx. 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 large head garlic
03 - 1 large onion, chopped
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 3 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
07 - 1 tsp sugar (optional)
08 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk (optional)

→ Croutons

11 - 2 cups day-old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
14 - 1/4 tsp salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, wrap in foil, and place on a baking tray alongside quartered tomatoes. Drizzle tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
02 - Roast garlic and tomatoes for 35 to 40 minutes until tomatoes are soft and garlic is golden and caramelized.
03 - While roasting, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent.
04 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, Italian herbs, and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing once until golden and crisp. Set aside.
05 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins. Add roasted tomatoes with juices and garlic to the pot with onions. Stir in vegetable broth, then bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Stir in fresh basil leaves and optional sugar. Remove pot from heat.
07 - Use an immersion blender or work in batches with a countertop blender to puree until smooth. For silkier texture, strain through a fine mesh sieve.
08 - Stir in heavy cream or coconut milk if using. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with crisp croutons and extra fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasting step does all the heavy lifting, filling your kitchen with the kind of aroma that makes people linger in doorways asking what's for dinner.
  • It comes together in just over an hour and tastes like you spent all afternoon tending to it.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and it stretches beautifully if unexpected guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step or rush it—that caramelization is where all the magic flavor lives, and a quick pan-roast won't get you there.
  • Taste the soup before blending and again after so you can adjust seasoning properly; raw basil and cooked soup taste different together than separately.
  • If you blend it too aggressively or for too long, the heat can make the basil turn dark and bitter; pulse gently or stir it in just before serving if you can.
03 -
  • Make croutons while soup simmers so they're warm and crispy when you serve; cold croutons lose their charm quickly.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy after blending, a splash of cold broth stirred in slowly often brings it back to silky smoothness.

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