Roasted Garlic & Tomato Basil Soup

Most tomato soup tastes flat because it skips the step that matters most: building depth. This one earns its richness from three whole heads of roasted garlic, mellowed into sweet, jammy softness, folded into a velvety tomato bisque. Then it goes one better with grilled cheese croutons — the childhood pairing reimagined as a crunchy, molten garnish that floats right in the bowl. It's nostalgia, made genuinely sophisticated.

Roasting the Garlic

Roasted garlic is the soul of this soup, and it's nearly effortless. Cut the tops off three whole heads to expose the cloves, drizzle heavily with oil, salt, and Herbes de Provence, wrap in foil, and roast until the cloves are deeply golden, meltingly soft, and popping from their skins. The slow heat transforms garlic's sharp bite into something sweet, nutty, and jammy — squeezed straight into the pot, it dissolves into the tomato and gives the whole bowl its unmistakable depth.

Grilled Cheese Croutons

The garnish is the joy of it. Split a crusty roll, pack it with shredded white cheddar, press it closed, brush the outside with oil, dust it with Parmesan, and toast it until golden and crisp — then cut it into thick, one-inch cubes. Floated on the hot, velvety soup, they deliver the exact pleasure of dunking a grilled cheese, in a single tidy bite. It's the detail that turns a good bowl of soup into a memorable one.

Jorj Morgan

Roasted Garlic & Tomato Basil Soup

Roasted Garlic & Tomato Basil Soup offers a comforting embrace, its deep red hue inviting a moment of warmth and delight. This velvety bisque delivers the mellow sweetness of slow-roasted garlic and ripe tomatoes, brightened by fragrant basil.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Soup

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

The Roasted Garlic Foundation

• 3 whole heads garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence

Bisque Aromatics & Roux

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion peeled and finely diced (about 1 ½ cups)
• 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

Bisque Liquids, Tomatoes & Basil

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ¾ cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped

The Grilled Cheese Croutons

• 1 large crusty hoagie roll or French baguette
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded (about ½ cup)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

 

Roasting the Garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cut off the top third of each head of garlic to expose the cloves, and discard the tops.
3. Place each garlic head onto a small square of aluminum foil. Drizzle the exposed cloves heavily with olive oil, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and the Herbs de Provence.
4. Fold the foil up securely around the garlic, leaving a small vent hole at the top for steam to escape.
5. Roast in the hot oven until the cloves are deeply golden, incredibly soft, and popping out of their skins, about 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

The Aromatic Sweat & Roux

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in the finely diced yellow onion and chopped carrots. Cook until the vegetables are completely soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables, stirring continuously for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and establish a light roux.

The Soup & Puree

1. Slowly whisk the chicken broth into the pot, followed by the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir until the mixture is completely unified and smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the granulated sugar, kosher salt, and coarse black pepper.
3. Squeeze the soft, roasted garlic cloves directly out of their skins into the pot, discarding the papery husks. Fold in the fresh chopped basil and cook for 1 minute to bloom the herbs.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
5. Working in batches, carefully transfer the soup to a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse aggressively until perfectly smooth and velvety. Return the pureed soup to the pot to keep warm over low heat.

The Grilled Cheese Croutons

1. Slice the hoagie roll or baguette in half horizontally. Spread the melted butter evenly over the cut sides.
2. Lay the shredded white cheddar cheese heavily on the bottom half of the bread, then press the top half down firmly so the cheese adheres to the buttered interior.
3. Brush the entire exterior (top, bottom, and sides) of the roll lightly with olive oil and dust heavily with the grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake in the 375°F oven until the exterior is golden and crisp, turning occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes total.
5. Remove from the oven and carefully slice the toasted roll into thick, 1-inch cubes. Serve the hot soup immediately, garnished with fresh basil and topped with the warm grilled cheese croutons.