Roasted Tomato Soup With Crispy Croutons (Printable)

A vibrant, velvety soup bursting with fresh flavor and topped with golden homemade croutons for the perfect comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ For the Roasted Tomato Soup

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large onion, quartered
03 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
08 - 2 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
11 - ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut cream (optional, for creaminess)

→ For the Crispy Croutons

12 - 4 thick slices day-old bread, cut into ¾ in cubes
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - ½ tsp garlic powder
15 - ¼ tsp salt
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange the halved tomatoes, onion quarters, and garlic cloves on a large baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss gently to coat evenly.
03 - Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the tomatoes are caramelized and the onions are soft.
04 - While the vegetables roast, prepare the croutons: In a bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on a lined baking sheet and bake (can share the oven with the tomatoes) for 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
05 - Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a large saucepan. Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, and sugar (if using). Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
06 - Use an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a blender) to purée the soup until smooth. For extra creaminess, stir in the heavy cream or coconut cream. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top generously with crispy croutons. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasting step transforms ordinary tomatoes into something extraordinary with almost zero hands on time
  • Homemade croutons make all the difference between dinner and an occasion
  • The recipe comes together faster than you can order takeout but tastes like you spent hours
02 -
  • Hot soup in a regular blender can be dangerous, so either let it cool slightly or use an immersion blender
  • Adding the cream last prevents any possibility of it separating during cooking
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet for the tomatoes to catch all those flavorful juices that escape
  • If your tomatoes aren't perfectly ripe, roasting will still rescue them, but consider adding that sugar
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