Roasted Tomato Soup Crispy Croutons (Print Version)

A vibrant, velvety roasted tomato soup topped with golden homemade croutons for the perfect comforting meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Roasted Tomato Soup

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 large onion, quartered
03 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
08 - 2 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream, optional

→ Crispy Croutons

12 - 4 thick slices day-old bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
16 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step:

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 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss gently to coat.
03 - Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are caramelized and the onions are soft.
04 - In a bowl, toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
05 - Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a large saucepan. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and sugar if using. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
06 - Use an immersion 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 Tips:

01 -
  • The roasting step caramelizes the tomatoes so completely that you barely need added sugar, letting their natural brightness shine through.
  • Homemade croutons taste nothing like store-bought ones and make people genuinely impressed, even though they're barely any extra work.
  • This soup comes together in just an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step or try to speed it up—that's where all the soup's character comes from, and rushing it leaves you with something that tastes more like tomato juice than soup.
  • Make your croutons the same day you serve them; they soften as they sit, so even a few hours makes a difference in that satisfying crunch.
03 -
  • Don't blend until the soup has cooled slightly—hot liquid in a blender is a splashing disaster waiting to happen, and an immersion blender kept in the pot is genuinely safer and easier.
  • Save some roasted tomato halves before blending and float them on top of the finished soup for color and a reminder of where this dish came from.
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