There’s something magical about this time of year, when the days can’t quite decide if they belong to summer or fall. The mornings here in Vermont greet us with a crisp chill, only for the afternoons to turn warm—sometimes even hot—reminding us that summer hasn’t fully let go. It’s a season of in-betweens, where sweaters meet sundresses and garden bounty collides with cozy cravings.
And speaking of bounty, our garden is absolutely overflowing with tomatoes right now. Cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes—you name it, we’ve got it. So many, in fact, that I can’t keep up with giving them away. Friends, neighbors, even the mail carrier… everyone leaves our house with at least a handful. Still, the vines keep producing, and that’s where creativity in the kitchen comes in handy.
Lately, we’ve been making everything from roasted salsa to hearty pasta sauces. But one recipe that always feels like the taste of late summer—fresh yet comforting—is roasted tomato basil soup. Light enough to match the sunny afternoons, yet warm and cozy for chilly evenings, it’s the perfect dish for this fleeting season.
A Recipe You Can’t Mess Up
One of the best things about this soup is its simplicity. It doesn’t demand precision, and honestly, I hardly measured a thing when I made it. Cooking, especially in this season, should feel more like play than science. A pinch here, a drizzle there, and a taste test along the way—it’s forgiving, flavorful, and endlessly adaptable.
Here’s the gist of it:
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- A mix of fresh tomatoes (I used cherry and Roma)—about 1 ½ baking sheets, halved
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- Maldon sea salt (or your favorite sea salt)
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- 5–6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade if you can swing it)
- Crusty bread for dipping (non-negotiable)
Tools
- Baking sheets lined with wax paper (for easy clean-up)
- A good blender (I swear by my Vitamix) or an immersion blender
Directions
- Prep the tomatoes. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice your tomatoes in half (a little tedious if you’re working with cherry tomatoes, but worth it) and spread them out on baking sheets lined with wax paper. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast until caramelized. Pop them on the middle rack and roast for about an hour, turning the trays halfway if your oven has hot spots. By the end, they’ll be slightly shriveled, sweet, and bursting with flavor.
- Cook the onion. While the tomatoes roast, sauté your onion slices on the stovetop in a bit of olive oil until soft and translucent. Don’t let them brown—you’re after sweetness, not bitterness.
- Blend it all together. Once the tomatoes have cooled slightly, add them to your blender along with the onions, basil, stock, and a good grind of pepper. Blend until smooth and velvety.
- Simmer and season. Transfer the blended mixture to a pot and let it simmer for 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as you like. More salt? A twist of pepper? A drizzle of cream? This is your soup—make it yours.
- Serve with love. Ladle into bowls and serve with slices of crusty bread or, if you’re really going for comfort, a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.
Why This Soup Works
What makes this soup so special is how it captures the essence of the season. The roasted tomatoes are rich and sweet, the basil adds brightness, and the whole thing comes together in a way that feels effortless but tastes like it simmered all day. It’s a dish that adapts to its surroundings—light enough for a sunny September afternoon, but cozy enough for a chilly October evening.
And here’s the beauty: you don’t need a garden bursting with tomatoes to make it. Farmers’ markets are overflowing with them this time of year, and even grocery store finds will work just fine. Still, if you do have access to fresh, homegrown tomatoes, this is one of the best ways to let them shine.
The Joy of Seasonal Eating
Making this soup reminded me of why I love cooking seasonally. There’s something deeply satisfying about leaning into what nature gives you at the moment—whether it’s the abundance of late-summer tomatoes or the apples and squash that are soon to follow. It connects you to the rhythms of the year, grounding you in the present while gently hinting at what’s to come.
For me, roasted tomato basil soup has become a ritual of transition—a bowl that bridges the brightness of summer with the coziness of fall. It’s simple, yes, but sometimes the simplest things are the ones that stay with you.
So if your kitchen counters are currently drowning in tomatoes (or even if they’re not), give this recipe a try. It’s comforting, versatile, and absolutely delicious. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself making it on repeat until the very last tomato of the season is gone.
Because in this sweet spot between seasons, nothing tastes quite as good as a bowl of roasted tomato basil soup shared with the people you love.
