Cherry tomato soup, with its charred bits of roasted tomatoes and onions, envelops your senses like a campfire on a cool, crisp autumn day. And those caramelized pieces of sweet potato make it taste like candy. Ooh, yes, what's not to love?
Like my white bean and sausage soup, this one-pot wonder is the type of soup I love making for my family. There is something quite loving about a bowl of homemade soup, don't you agree?
And yes, I will serve this as a meal on days when we don't want to overindulge or when we want something cozy, like a fluffy blanket on a frigid winter night.
In preparation for soup night, we'll buy a fresh loaf of warm bread, smother it in butter, and dunk those chunks of bread into the abyss of a creamy tomato soup or a butternut squash and tomato soup. A gooey grilled cheese will do the trick, too. I'd say that either option works for me.
Another great dunking soup and a favorite of ours (especially when the sniffles are lurking is my Italian pastina soup with egg.
Finally, try my homemade ciabatta bread croutons to top off your soup, which add just the right amount of texture to contrast with the creamy soup.
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Ingredients
These are the ingredients you need to make roasted cherry tomato soup:
Ingredient Notes
- Cherry or grape tomatoes work equally well in this recipe. They have a good ratio of flesh to liquid, and roasting them further enhances and concentrates their great flavor.
- Smoked paprika differs from sweet paprika, and its flavor is immediately recognizable in a dish. The smokiness of this spice enhances and complements the roasted flavor of the tomatoes.
- Basil and tomatoes-what more can I say? This classic flavor combination features a sweet taste from basil, with slight hints of mint, that pairs beautifully with tomatoes.
- I wanted this soup to have a pleasant sweetness, so I added sweet potatoes to balance out any acidity that could arise from the tomatoes.
Find the detailed recipe below.
Substitutions & Variations
- I prefer red onions in this recipe due to their sweetness. Vidalia onions are also sweet and would be a good substitute. In a pinch, use yellow or white onions.
- Use different varieties of cherry tomatoes, like red, yellow, or orange, to add subtle differences in flavor.
- Do you only have vegetable broth? Then, use that instead of chicken broth.
- Add a drizzle of heavy cream or cooking cream to the finished soup for added richness. Note: Be sure the cream is labeled heavy cream or cooking cream, as that guarantees the cream won't curdle from the acidity of the tomatoes.
- A little heat is always nice. I suggest adding red pepper flakes or a bit of cayenne pepper.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Soup
Step-by-Step Instructions
You can sit back and relax while the oven creates most of the magic in this recipe.
Heat the Oven
Position one of the oven racks in the middle of the oven and heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a convection setting, select it; otherwise, set the oven to bake or roast.
Add Vegetables
Add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, olive oil, red onion, and garlic to a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish or roasting pan. Stir to coat the vegetables with olive oil.
Roast Vegetables
Roast the vegetables without stirring for 35 minutes or until they are soft and start to char around the edges.
Add to Saucepan
After the vegetables have cooked, transfer them to a saucepan.
Add Remaining Ingredients
Add the chicken broth, basil, salt, and paprika.
Blend
With an immersion blender, carefully blend the mixture until smooth and creamy. Note: You can also use a blender, but cool the vegetables first.
Serve
Serve the soup with fresh basil (or a dollop of pesto), grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, spicy chili oil, or croutons.
Helpful Hints
- Depending on the cherry tomatoes you find at the grocery store or the ones you've grown in your garden, there can be subtle differences in how they roast. Sometimes, the tomatoes will be visibly more roasted; other times, they will not. This is due to the tomato skin's thickness and the flesh's juiciness.
- To cut the basil into chiffonade ribbons, stack the basil leaves one on top of the other, then roll into a cylinder. Cut through the cylinder into delicate ribbons.
Make Ahead
- Cherry tomato soup can be made 1-2 days ahead.
Reheating
- Reheat gently in a small saucepan over the stove or microwave individual portions.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If defrosting, thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat the soup in a saucepan over the stove or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Add a splash of heavy cream or cream labeled cooking cream. This cream is formulated to withstand high heat, preventing acidic sauces or soups from curdling or splitting.
An alternative way is to add up to ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, which raises the soup's pH and reduces its acidic taste. I used baking soda to reduce the acidity in my recipe for pizza sauce using tomato paste.
The tomato seeds will blend into the soup once puréed, and you won't even know they are there.
Recipe
Cherry Tomato Soup
Equipment
- casserole dish or baking pan
- Dutch oven or large pot
- measuring spoons
- immersion blender
Ingredients
Soup:
- 4 cups (1.5 pounds) cherry tomatoes, washed and left whole
- 2 cups (10 ounces) peeled sweet potato, cut into half-inch pieces
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup chicken broth, unsalted
- ¼ cup fresh basil, lightly packed, cut into ribbons (see Helpful Hints)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Optional Garnishes:
- croutons
- fresh ribbons of basil
- a dollop of pesto
- spicy chili oil
- Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Heat the Oven: Position one of the oven racks in the middle of the oven and heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a convection setting, select it; otherwise, set the oven to bake or roast.
- Add Vegetables: Add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, olive oil, red onion, and garlic to a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish or roasting pan. Stir to coat the vegetables with olive oil.4 cups (1.5 pounds) cherry tomatoes, 2 cups (10 ounces) peeled sweet potato, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ red onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Roast Vegetables: Roast the vegetables without stirring for 35 minutes or until they are soft and start to char around the edges.
- Add to Saucepan: After the vegetables have cooked, transfer them to a saucepan.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the chicken broth, basil, salt, and paprika.1 cup chicken broth, ¼ cup fresh basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Blend: With an immersion blender, carefully blend the mixture until smooth and creamy. Note: You can also use a blender, but cool the vegetables first.
- Serve: Serve the soup with fresh basil (or a dollop of pesto), grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, spicy chili oil, or croutons.
Anne Marie says
I made this soup yesterday as I had almost one kilo cherry tomatoes. The finished result was lovely and it was so easy and quick to make. Thanks!
Donna Poirier says
Thank you Anne Marie, I’m happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Francois says
The caramelized vegetables and roasted tomatoes make this an awesome tomato soup recipe... out of this world !
Donna Poirier says
Thanks 😊