Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Bisque with Parmesan

This easy Tomato Basil Bisque recipe combines fresh roasted tomatoes with canned tomatoes, plenty of fresh basil, cream and tangy parmesan for a comforting soup ready in about one hour!

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The best Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque Recipe!

This classic comforting soup is perfect for tomato season (and beyond!), and is the perfect soup to go alongside your grilled cheese sandwich.

A cross between roasted tomato soup and classic tomato bisque, this fresh tomato basil soup recipe used roasted Roma tomatoes, as well as canned whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste for a complex and deliciously simple soup full of tomato flavor!

Packed with fresh basil leaves and aromatics, and finished with heavy cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese, this soup is classic comfort in a bowl, for a soup the whole family can enjoy!

Ingredients

This easy and delicious Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Bisque combines the flavor of fresh roasted tomatoes with canned tomatoes, aromatics, cream, and parmesan for a luxurious tomato soup any day of the week! Here's what you'll need to make it:

• Fresh tomatoes. I use Roma tomatoes, halve them lengthwise, and roast with salt, pepper, and olive oil. The roasted tomatoes add great flavor to the soup!
• Olive oil. I like to use a good extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
• One medium yellow onion.
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed.
• Tomato paste. You'll cook this down for a few minutes with the onions and garlic until it takes on a deep red color. This adds great depth of flavor to the soup.
• Dried oregano. This adds a nice pop of flavor to the soup.
• Chicken broth. I prefer to use low sodium chicken broth for this recipe.
• A can of whole peeled tomatoes, with the juices. These will go right into the pot and simmer so they break down and blend easily into the finished soup.
• Fresh basil leaves. A whole 2 cups, and these go right into the soup to infuse the soup with delicious herby flavor.
• A touch of granulated sugar, to help balance out the acidity. I like to use Organic cane sugar. You can find organic sugar in most grocery stores.
• Balsamic vinegar, for a rich, tangy soup.
• Heavy cream. This gets stirred in at the very end, and helps make the bisque super creamy. This recipe calls for 1 ¼ cups of cream, but you can start with 1 cup and add to taste for a tangier tomato-forward soup.
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, which will go in at the end with the heavy cream.
• Salt and black pepper, to taste. I like to taste the final soup, and season as necessary. You will also season the Roma tomatoes before roasting.

How to make Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Bisque

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and drizzle halved Roma tomatoes with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper on both sides. 
3. Roast cut side down for 35-40 minutes until caramelized, turning pan once if the tops start to brown quickly on one side.
4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. 
5. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 5 minutes. 
6. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. 
7. Add the tomato paste and stir well to incorporate with onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until it takes on a deep color, 3-4 minutes. 
8. Add oregano, chicken stock, canned tomatoes, basil, sugar, and balsamic vinegar to the pot. 
9. Turn heat to high, and bring to a boil. 
10. Reduce heat to medium-low heat, cover with a lid, and simmer. 
11. Once tomatoes are roasted, add them to the soup with remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes more. 
12. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, then stir in cream and parmesan, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

What to serve with the soup

Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich is a classic combination that never goes out of style. I also like to add some fresh basil leaves to the soup when serving, or a little extra drizzle of heavy cream.

This Tomato Basil Bisque also goes great with a classic Tuna Melt, a Cuban Sandwich, or even a Chicken Salad Sandwich for a simple soup and sandwich combo.

Tools for the perfect Tomato Bisque

• A large stockpot or Dutch oven, for mess free soup making.
• An Immersion Blender, for easy blending, right in the pot! I love Braun hand blenders.
• A roasting pan or sheet pan, and some parchment paper for easy cleanup when roasting the Roma tomatoes.

Substitutions and Additions

This creamy tomato basil bisque is easily adapted to work with your personal preferences, as well as what you have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry. Here are some great substitutions and additions you can use to make this soup your own!

• Use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock to make it vegetarian.
• If you don't have canned whole tomatoes, use an equal amount of canned diced tomatoes.
• If you prefer a lighter soup, you can use coconut milk in place of the heavy cream. Please note this will make a lighter, less rich and creamy soup. Heavy whipping cream gives the soup its creamy texture, so the texture may vary, but will still be delicious!
• Want to make a big batch? Use a large stock pot, and double the recipe!
• No yellow onions? Use white sweet onion, red onions, shallots, or green onions (aka scallions).
• Add some diced red bell pepper for extra flavor and veggies when cooking down the onions.
• If you've got a ton of tomatoes in your garden, use a pound of whatever you've got to roast! I like cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes for this soup, too! Just be sure to reduce the roasting time, and keep the simmering time the same (Soup simmers while the tomatoes roast, so if using smaller tomatoes, be sure to still simmer the soup for about 30-40 minutes).
• No immersion blender? Allow the soup to cool slightly, and carefully blend in a traditional blender, then add back to the pot, warm through, and add the cream and parmesan.

Storing and reheating

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in a saucepan on low heat until warmed through.

Make ahead and freezing

If you plan to make this soup ahead, Store the pureed soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then add the heavy cream and parmesan when reheating, just before serving.

I would not recommend freezing the soup with the cream and cheese added, so if you plan to freeze, leave those out, the best way is to add them when you reheat and serve the soup.

For best results, thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More delicious soup recipes!

If you love this easy tomato basil bisque recipe, you'll love these tasty soup recipes, too!

• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup with Pancetta and Swiss Chard
• Easy Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
• Quick and Easy Doctored Up Canned Tomato Soup
• Creamy Loaded Potato Soup

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