Is there a more iconic duo than tomato soup and grilled cheese? But for too long, grilled cheese has done all the heavy lifting in the relationship. No more, friends! Meet the glowed-up Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup Recipe that is an equal partner to all of your epic grilled cheese sandwiches.
Is it soup season where you live? For those of you who reserve soup season for colder months, there's a tiny problem with making excellent tomato soup. Tomato season and parka season don't overlap. Which is why roasted cherry tomato soup is the answer to all of our problems.
Cherry tomatoes retain great flavor all year round, and we develop it further by bringing roasted garlic and a few tablespoons of basil pesto to the party.
Ingredients to make recipe:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes: the recipe calls for cherry tomatoes for the best results, but use what you have! Roasting any tomato elevates the flavor.
Broth: if you're cooking for meat-eaters, feel free to substitute chicken broth for vegetable stock.
Heavy cream: substitute half and half or your favorite plant-based milk.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
1. Roast tomatoes
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Arrange 3 pints of cherry tomatoes, 3 shallots (peeled and halved) and a head of garlic, halved, in a single layer on a baking tray. Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil, a good pinch of salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Bake until tomatoes are nicely charred and garlic is tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Blend ingredients
In a Dutch oven or large pan, heat your cup of vegetable stock. Once vegetables have finished roasting, add the tomatoes and shallots to the pot, and squeeze one half of the softened roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into the soup mixture.
Heat thoroughly. Add in ¼ cup of pesto. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender (stick blender) to blend the veggies into a soup.
3. Add dairy
Add 3 tablespoons of Parmesan and ¼ cup of cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Using this variety of fresh ingredients presents seasoning variables, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes, the sharpness of the shallots, and the salt level in your pesto. Tasting and adjusting the seasoning level will be important to ensure the final product is perfect for your palate.
4. Garnish and serve
Ladle soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of heavy cream, pesto and Parmesan.
Looking for more delicious soup recipes?
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
I have made this exact recipe using canned tomatoes and been satisfied with the results. I still like to take the time to roast off the tomatoes to get a little char (just drain the tomatoes before roasting).
Absolutely. As it turns out, the bite-sized fruits couldn't be easier to pop in the freezer, so you can enjoy the taste of summer all year long. Just remember that freezing changes tomatoes' texture, so it's best to eat frozen tomatoes cooked into a sauce or soup, rather than fresh.
Can I tell you a secret? Cherry tomatoes are consistently sweeter than grape tomatoes, which is why I prefer them in this soup...and almost everywhere else. Another key difference is that cherry tomatoes have a much thinner skin than grape tomatoes, which also lends to a better soup experience. That said, if it came down to grape tomato soup or no tomato soup, I'd be slurping down some grape tomato soup ASAP.
You sure can! Just use plant-based milk in place of the cream, and vegan Parmesan and pesto (or skip the pesto and just use fresh basil).
The World's Best Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich is my favorite companion for this tomato soup. If you're skipping the sandwich, get your carbs through Spicy Italian Soup Crackers, homemade croutons or Garlic Bread Baguette.
You can use about ¼ cup of julienned fresh basil in the soup, along with an extra few tablespoons of Parmesan.
You sure can. Use about ½ of a large, roughly chopped onion instead of the shallots and roast on the baking tray with a little olive oil, as outlined in the instructions.
To store, transfer your cherry tomato soup recipe to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This is a great recipe for batch cooking and freezing, as well. Just choose freezer-safe containers to maintain freshness.
Best Ever Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
3 pints cherry tomatoes
3 shallots, peeled and halved
1 head garlic, halved
1 cup vegetable broth
¼ cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup basil pesto, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sea salt and black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Arrange 3 pints of cherry tomatoes, 3 shallots (peeled and halved) and a head of garlic, halved, in a single layer on a baking tray or roasting pan. (You only need ½ of the head for this recipe, but I roast both halves and use the other in anything else I'm cooking that day). Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil, a good pinch of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Transfer the large baking sheet of veggies into the oven and bake until tomatoes are nicely charred and garlic is tender, about 25 minutes.
- In a Dutch oven, heat your cup of vegetable stock. Once vegetables have finished roasting, add the tomatoes and shallots to the pot, and squeeze one half of the softened roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into the soup mixture. Heat thoroughly.
- Add in ¼ cup of pesto. Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a large food processor) to blend the veggies into a soup. Remove from heat. Add 3 tablespoons of Parmesan and ¼ cup of cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning,
- Serve in soup bowls topped with an additional drizzle of heavy cream, pesto and Parmesan.
Notes
Using this many fresh ingredients presents seasoning variables, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes, the sharpness of the shallots, and the salt level in your pesto. Tasting and adjusting the seasoning level will be important to ensure the final product is perfect for your palate.
I like to serve this soup as a thick bisque consistency, so I only use 1 cup of vegetable stock. If you're looking for a thinner consistency, something sipp-able, perhaps, heat two cups of broth and add in more until you reach the desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Soup
- Method: Oven and Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Monica
Incredible recipe. The best tomato soup I've ever tasted and I can't believe it's so easy! Made it twice this week and planning a new batch this weekend. SO GOOD!
Christina Jolam
So great to hear, Monica! It's one of my all-time favorites and a constant presence in the house through soup season.
Tina
Roasted tomato soup is one of my favorites! Absolutely delish!
Christina Jolam
So glad you loved it, Tina! This might be the most requested soup recipe in our house and it never disappoints!