The BEST Tomato Soup comes from my favorite chef in the world – Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. Ina’s Tomato Soup uses roasted tomatoes and the absolute best flavor and is delicious topped with fresh croutons and fresh parmesan cheese. Serve it with a creamy grilled cheese on the side for a complete meal!
I’m obsessed with Ina Garten and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way! Her recipes are always so great and always super easy to follow. For this tomato soup, don’t skip the step of roasting the tomatoes. The taste of roasted tomatoes is SO much more flavorful than canned.
And if you don’t own any Barefoot Contessa cookbooks, buy yourself one or two…..or five or six like me!
Here’s how to make The BEST Tomato Soup:
- To roast the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the roma or plum tomatoes in half and add them to a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and a good bit of salt and pepper and let them roast for 45 minutes or until they are blistered.
- In a soup pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil and butter mixture and sprinkle with a dash of red pepper flakes. Pour in the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken broth. When the tomatoes have finished roasting, add them to the pot with the juices. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- After that time, use an emulsion blender to blend all the ingredients together until the soup is smooth and creamy.
- Ina doesn’t do this – but it never hurts to add a little cream to the soup if you have some.
- Ladle into bowls and top with croutons, parmesan cheese, and extra basil if you prefer.
The BEST Tomato Soup
The BEST Tomato Soup and my favorite soup recipe is from Ina Garten. It is creamy, so full of flavor, and perfect for a rainy night next to a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs plum or roma tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes with the juice
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 qt chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp butter
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
- croutons, parmesan cheese, basil as toppings
Instructions
To roast the tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the tomatoes in half and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are blistered.
For the soup:
- Add butter and olive oil to a soup pot. When hot, add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes and saute for 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with the juices. Once the roasted tomatoes are finished, add them to the pot with their juices. Add the basil, thyme, and chicken broth. Let simmer for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, use an emulsion blender to make the soup smooth and creamy.
- If you'd like, add a little heavy cream for extra creaminess! Top with croutons, fresh basil, and/or grated parmesan cheese.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I felt like th soup had a grainy textue but nice taste. You have to keep tasting and seasoning to get it just right. Smoked paprika was a good seasoning to add.