I Guarantee This Is the Most Flavorful Soup You'll Make All Winter

During winter, I like to get cozy with a bowl of this delicious roasted tomato soup. In my book, one of the best — and easiest — ways to highlight the flavors of fresh ripe tomatoes is by roasting them. Here, the oven does all the heavy lifting, which means making the soup itself is pretty hands-off with minimal prep. This soup is great on its own, but it’s especially perfect paired with grilled cheese or any hearty toast.

Key Ingredients in Roasted Tomato Soup

• Tomatoes: I enjoy a blend of Roma and cherry tomatoes. The combination adds a nice variety in textures and flavors, but you can use just any type of tomatoes here.

• Red bell pepper: Deepens the color of the soup, but also adds a nice sweet, smoky, and tangy flavor — especially after being roasted in the oven.

• Aromatics: Roasted garlic and onion add a subtle sweetness.

• Tomato paste: Enhances the slightly sweet flavors of the soup. It also helps the soup thicken nicely.

• Vegetable broth: You can use water, as the tomatoes have a lot of flavor, but I highly recommend using vegetable broth to bring all the flavors together for the perfectly balanced soup.

If You’re Making Roasted Tomato Soup, a Few Tips

• Have fun with other seasonings. You can mix and match different types of tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings here. Just be sure not to include anything that’s likely to burn in the oven, as the tomatoes roast for close to an hour. It would be delicious with fresh thyme or sage, a little bit of smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, onion or garlic powder, or some cumin seeds.

• Caramelize your tomato paste for the best flavors. This is another way to add depth and layers of flavor to the roasted tomato soup.

• Adjust the consistency. Once you blend the tomato mixture, it may be slightly thick. You can keep it thick if you serve it alongside something as a dipping soup. But if you want to enjoy it as a sipping soup, feel free to add more broth or water to loosen it up.

• Storage and make-ahead tips. Any leftover roasted tomato soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw first, then rewarm on the stovetop.

Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe

This cozy soup celebrates the flavors of roasted tomatoes for the ultimate comfort food.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, such as Roma or cherry or a combination

• 1 medium red bell pepper

• 1/2 medium yellow onion

• 1 head garlic

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed

• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the following, placing each on the baking sheet as you complete it: Trim and cut 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (skip cutting if using grape or cherry tomatoes) and 1 medium red bell pepper into rough 1-inch chunks. Thinly slice 1/2 medium yellow onion. Cut 1 head garlic in half crosswise, exposing the cloves.

3. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Toss together with your hands until evenly coated. Arrange into an even layer with the garlic cut-side down. Top with 2 fresh rosemary sprigs.

4. Roast until the tomatoes are softened or the small tomatoes burst open, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly until cool enough to handle the garlic, about 5 minutes.

5. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the garlic head onto the baking sheet and discard the peels. Pick the leaves from the rosemary and place on the roasted vegetable mixture; discard the stems.

6. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes. Add the roasted tomato mixture, including any juices on the baking sheet. Cook until the tomato paste is fully mixed into the tomato mixture, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat as needed and let simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.

8. Turn off the heat. Blend directly in the pot with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer in two batches to a stand blender and blend until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more broth a little at a time as needed to thin it out.

9. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve topped with freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few torn fresh basil leaves if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.