At our house, a nice bowl of soup is always welcome, no matter the temps outside. But it’s especially welcome on cold spring nights. For these nights, this Roasted Tomato Soup never disappoints! It’s definitely comfort in a bowl and so easy to throw together, you will want to keep this one in constant rotation.
Tomatoes not quite at their best are perfect for roasting, which brings out their flavor along with some smoky notes from the charred edges. It’s worth the extra step to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned here.
File this recipe away for the late summer, too, when you have an overabundance of fresh ripe tomatoes. Roast any you can’t use right away, then freeze them in batches. Just pull them out of the freezer and whip up this tasty soup in minutes all winter long!
Roast Your Tomatoes
Start with your tomatoes. I use tomatoes on the vine from my local grocery store, but you can sub in your favorite kind with the exception of cherry or grape tomatoes. Just be sure to use about the same weight so the balance of the soup remains the same.
Slice to about 1/4-inch and place in an even layer on an oiled sheet pan. Drizzle with more oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Easy peasy!
Prep the Soup
While the tomatoes are roasting, melt your butter in a large pot with a little oil over low heat. This is a lot of butter, but it serves the dual purposes of adding flavor and thickening power when combined with the flour added later on.
Add the onions to the pot and cook until they are translucent. Throw in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Feel free to omit the red pepper flakes, but they help build a more complex flavor in the soup while adding just a slight hint of heat.
After a minute, while you enjoy the scent of garlic and onions cooking in butter, sprinkle in the flour and stir for another minute. Slowly whisk in both types of broth then turn the heat to medium. Using both chicken and veggie broths adds a depth of flavor that is greater than one broth alone. But if you only have one kind, feel free to use either chicken or veg.
Add the roasted tomatoes, along with all of their juices, to the pot. Stir in the smoked paprika and the milk, then blend with an immersion blender (my preferred method) or in a countertop blender until smooth. Strain it if you like to remove the seeds for the smoothest result.
Make it a Meal
While you are waiting for the soup to simmer, whip up some biscuits to serve on the side. Or put together some grilled cheese sandwiches to round out your meal. (Anyone out there grow up calling these “cheese toasties”?)
A simple salad of mixed greens dressed with vinaigrette is great alongside this soup for lunch or a light dinner, too!
Top with sliced green onion or chives, or with a sprinkle of shaved parmesan or shredded cheddar cheese. Garlicky croutons would also be a good topping. Wilt in some spinach while the soup simmers to add some greens.
These are amazing served with our Easy Drop Biscuits, which you can bake while the soup simmers. The kids love topping their tomato soup with Goldfish crackers or Chees-Its. I have to admit, I like this combo too!
Roasted Tomato Soup freezes really well, so you can make it ahead. Be a planning genius and make a double batch so you can freeze half and give your future self a night off from making dinner! This soup will keep in the frig for a week and in the freezer for three months.
Enjoy!
Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 48 ounces tomatoes on the vine 10-12 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion about 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spread 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on the foil, then place the tomato slices in a single layer onto the pan. Drizzle with another 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until tomatoes are tender, slightly shriveled, and starting to brown at the edges.
- When the tomatoes are nearly done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, then sauté for another minute or until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the chicken and vegetable broths. Turn the heat up to medium, whisking constantly until the liquid starts to thicken.
- Once the liquid is boiling and starting to thicken, reduce the heat and simmer. Throw in the roasted tomatoes with their juices, the paprika, and the milk. Blend with an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender) until smooth. Continue to simmer in the pot over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with Easy Drop Biscuits, Popovers, or grilled cheese sandwiches.
