Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Lunch bell.
The tomatoes, mid roasting. You can see they're beginning to caramelize but need to shrivel up some more. Line your pan with foil (saves later frustration!) and be generous with the olive...
Peeling the tomatoes, post-roast.
I pour any juices and oil into the soup pot with the peeled tomatoes.
See it's nice and brothy already.
Mashing!
Mashing and blending in the cream -- just don't let it boil!
Floating the rosemary-and-thyme oil on the surface of the soup.
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amanda says: I set out to create a cream of tomato soup, turning to two food52 recipes for inspiration. I wanted to employ Oui, Chef’s technique (from his Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Corn and Cilantro) of roasting the vegetables to create the foundation for a soup. And I was looking to riff on The Weary Epicurean’s Tomato Bisque. In her bisque, The Weary Epicurean has you sear halved tomatoes in a pan before lavishing them with butter and cream.
For my version, I roasted the tomatoes with a few cloves of garlic, then mashed the roasted tomato pulp with cream and cream alone. (Make sure you mash the tomatoes well, so you end up with a fine pulp, not chunks.) And then because I couldn’t stop myself, I made a rosemary-and-thyme oil to sprinkle on top.
Serves 4
- 8 medium beefsteak tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the tomatoes
- Salt
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Sugar, if needed
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 4 thick slices country bread, toasted and brushed with olive oil, for serving
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lay the tomatoes cut-side down. Add the garlic cloves (with skins on). Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Add the ¼ cup olive oil, the rosemary and thyme to a small saucepan and place over low heat. Let warm until you begin smelling the herbs, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Peel the tomatoes and add the pulp and juices to a soup pan. Squeeze the garlic from its skin and add it to the pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and begin mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher until it’s pulpy, but not chunky (if you prefer to use a food processor, go ahead – just make sure you leave it pulpy). When the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt. Add a pinch of sugar, if needed. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper. Sprinkle a little herb oil on top of the soup. Pass the toasts at the table.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!






3 months ago Laura Abbasi
Made this soup for dinner. I loved the chunky texture for a tomato soup. I added an extra clove of garlic. I wish I had read the comment about Parmesan because that sounds delicious! We will make this again, but I will definitely double the recipe to make the labor of it more worthwhile. This does not yield that much soup. Thanks!
3 months ago Jiana
This soup was so delicious!! Add a Parmesan rind for a more intense flavor!! Yum!
5 months ago Muse
I simply adore tomatoes in ANY form...can't wait to try this recipe! Maybe with some garlic bread or a lovely baguette...yum.
5 months ago Muse
I simply adore tomatoes in ANY form...can't wait to try this recipe! Maybe with some garlic bread or a lovely baguette...yum.
6 months ago llcookies
Awesome soup. What do you think about freezing it to enjoy in cold weather?
6 months ago TXExpatInBKK
I make extra each time I roast my tomatoes and then freeze the mashed up tomato/garlic mixture. It thaws beautifully and you just add the cream after you've heated it up. I've started putting the thyme and rosemary into the roasting pan with the tomatoes when I'm feeling too lazy to make the herb infused oil separately. It also made a great spaghetti sauce when I reduced it. I love this recipe because it is delicious and so versitile.
6 months ago kathy pastore
Where can I get the recipe for the herb infused oil you reccomend to sprinkle on top. Can't wait to serve this to my Husband who loves soup, even as a main course with a great crusty bread and a good wine to go with it.
6 months ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
The recipe for the oil is part of this recipe -- see step 2. Hope you like it!
6 months ago Sigita
Oh I am also sad as a previous commenter stated below- 8 tomatoes makes very little soup. I encourage you to use more tomatoes and make a larger patch while you are going to the trouble- Says serves 4 - as a small cup appetizer.....
But looks and tastes amazing.
6 months ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
I should have given a weight for the tomatoes -- when I get a chance, I'll re-test the recipe with measurements and will adjust the recipe. Thanks for your note.
6 months ago Sigita
Thanks Amanda - my husband and I really enjoyed it and it was SO easy to make . Loved the method of roasting and then removing the skins. So simple.
6 months ago TXExpatInBKK
After seeing the delicious photo with the suggestion "make this for dinner", I knew I had to. So I picked up the ingredients on my way home from work and got to roasting. My husband was skeptical about having "just soup for dinner" so I served it with garlic bread. It was thick and delicious and he cleaned his bowl. This one is definitely going into my rotation. Thanks Amanda!
7 months ago Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice
Cooking this right now. Smells yummmmy!
over 1 year ago The Good Cook
Going to make this right now!
over 1 year ago pamelalee
When a neighbor gave me a bag of her heirloom tomatoes last weekend, I knew I had to make this soup. I used half and half instead of cream. Oh my... I enjoyed smelling the tomatoes and garlic roasting as much as eating this delicious soup!
over 1 year ago La Bonne Bouche
mmm, the idea of this soup sounds sooooo good, I need to try it soon. It reminds me a bit of salmorejo, but the warm and more flavorful variety.
about 2 years ago roryrabbitfield
If I made this soup from canned tomatoes will it be any good? I am obsessed with tomato soup but it is not the right season for good tomatoes.
about 2 years ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
I think it's worth trying -- I've never roasted canned tomatoes before but it could be interesting.
7 months ago willward
Yes, I´ve made a similar soup with canned tomatoes. Just be sure that they are slightly burned on the edges(caramelized) when you take them out of the oven
over 2 years ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Thanks friendlyoaks! And bistro_gal, I would post it but don't want to add too many of my recipes from that book or no one will buy it any more!
over 2 years ago friendlyoaks
Amanda, I think this must be the tomato soup they eat in heaven. I made it yesterday and was sad that 8 tomatoes made so little soup - but what a soup it was! You must have an affinity for creating ambrosial foods - I am thinking of your carrots w/pernod flambeed in brandy from Cook and Gardner which makes all other carrot recipes superfluous. Thanks for your inspirations.
over 2 years ago bistro_gal
Amanda, can we pretty please have that carrot recipe?
over 2 years ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Thanks friendlyoaks! And bistro_gal, I would post it but don't want to add too many of my recipes from that book or no one will buy it any more!