Roasted Tomato Basil SOUP

Yes, this is my daughter hiding behind a bush of Basil...why ever is she hiding...you ask. Well, actually she was sniffing her brains out. It smelled so absolutely, positively divine. It ended up I had to pry her dirty, half polish chipped off twelve year old hands of my basil, so I could wash it and make first Tomato Basil Soup and second Pesto.

The basil I planted this year went hog wild! I have two more plants that are even bigger than this one that I still need to use or give away. If you live in my neck of the wood, I would be more than happy to share. Cause you know it's nice to share.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is seriously super easy. There are a few steps, but not too many ingredients and I doubt you could ruin it if you tried. It's all about the tomatoes. You want fresh, in season, Romas for the best soup. I have made it in the dead of winter and it's good, but it's not spectacular like it is when you pick the tomatoes fresh off the vine or buy them from your local farmers market. (wink)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

printable recipe

Serves 6

10-12 tomatoes roasted

1 cup diced sweet onion

1-3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 table spoon butter

3-4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 cups fresh basil (packed and sliced in thin strips)

salt and pepper to taste

If you missed my previous post on roasting tomatoes then go here and then come back and put the roasted tomatoes in your blender or Vitamix if you are lucky enough to have one of them jobbies. (I don't, but I have been hinting for a good two years to my family that I would love one)
Pour 1 1/2 cups of the chicken stock in with the tomatoes. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.


Chop your sweet onion. One small onion or 1 heaping cup of sweet onion chopped small. Mince one to three cloves of garlic.

Melt one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in 4-6 quart sauce pan add onions and garlic saute' until translucent. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good dose of fresh cracked pepper during sauteing time.


Now add the onions and garlic to the blender with the tomatoes. (Set your pan aside to use again in a minute.) Give them another whirl until well blended and smooth. Approximately 1-2 minutes. Now you want to pour the tomato soup base back into the pan you sauteed the onion and garlic in.


Time to give your soup a KICK! We like spice, this family of mine. Return the pan back to the heat and add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes you could add just a dash or you could leave it out all together. Suite yourself!


Now for a spoonful of sugar....1 tablespoon to be exact. Give it a stir. Now add the remaining chicken stock. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker then only add 1 1/2 cups of stock or you can add the remaining 2 1/2 cups...that's what I did. Slow simmer.

While your soup is simmering pack two cups of fresh basil. I don't think you can use too much. Can you smell it. It is intoxicating. Who needs Sweet Tea Vodka when you have fresh basil. Oh Mama.

Bunch it up in a nice basil bundle.

Chiffonade your basil. Chiffa-whoey? Chiffonade is a cooking technique, used with herbs or leafy green vegetables, to cut them into long thin strips. Usually accomplished by stacking the leaves and then rolling them tightly, then cutting across the leaf, creating ribbons of beautiful basil. That was my "morsel of knowledge" for the day..or week, possibly the century.


Now after you have your basil chiffonaded, toss it on into your slow simmering soup and then turn off the heat. Give it a stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes to let that basil get all warm and cozy. Then serve with grilled cheese or Cheesy Toast.

This soup freezes fantastically. If you are going to make it to freeze I would follow all the steps except leave out the 2nd addition of chicken stock. Add the additional stock when you thaw and reheat. I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does. It is also one of those meals that is great to make when you have a busy night because you can just leave it on the stove with the toast off to the side and when your family starts rolling in they can help themselves and warm it up in the microwave.

My kids went back to school today. So now I am going to go eat bonbons.

LuvYA,