This creamy cherry tomato soup takes just 8 ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on work. Everything roasts on one sheet pan while you do something else, then it all gets blended with coconut milk and basil. It's silky and so naturally sweet that it doesn't need added sugar.
I love cherry tomatoes, and this soup came about when my mum's garden gave me far more than I could snack on. Roasting them was the obvious move, since it makes them even sweeter.
Unlike my Tomato Soup that's made with canned tomatoes, this one uses only fresh cherry tomatoes. That makes it the soup to make when they're in season and cheap.
What Makes This Cherry Tomato Soup Different
Many cherry tomato soups get their creaminess from heavy cream or Parmesan. This one gets it from full-fat coconut milk instead, and once it's blended with the roasted tomatoes and garlic, you can't taste the coconut at all.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Cherry tomatoes: cherry or grape tomatoes both work, and so does a mix of colors.
- Yellow onion: adds a mild sweetness to the base.
- Garlic: roasted in its skin so it turns soft and mellow instead of sharp.
- Olive oil: use a good one, since the ingredient list is short. You can leave it out (see the recipe notes).
- Vegetable broth: low-sodium, so you control the salt. Chicken broth works if you don't need it vegetarian.
- Full-fat coconut milk (canned, unsweetened): The higher the fat content, the creamier the soup. Substitutes: cashew cream or soy cream, or heavy cream if you don't need it dairy-free.
- Fresh basil: or 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make cherry tomato soup
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, salt and olive oil on the sheet until everything is coated.
STEP 2: Add the garlic cloves, skins on, with the tops cut off.
STEP 3: Roast on the middle rack for 40 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and are lightly charred.
STEP 4: Let everything cool for a few minutes, then squeeze the garlic out of its skins. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic and all the juices from the pan to a blender with the coconut milk, broth and basil.
STEP 5: Blend until smooth, or blend in a pot with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If it's too thick, add a splash of broth or coconut milk.
STEP 6 (optional): Brush a few slices of bread with olive oil and add them to the oven for the last 10 minutes to serve alongside.
Roasting vs. Simmering: Why I Roast My Cherry Tomatoes
You can make cherry tomato soup on the stovetop, but I always roast mine. Here's why:
- More flavor. In the oven the tomatoes blister and caramelize at the edges, the onion turns sweet and the garlic goes soft and mellow. Simmered tomatoes taste fresher and brighter, but flatter.
- No sugar needed. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of cherry tomatoes even more, so there's nothing to balance out.
- A thicker, less watery soup. Roasting cooks off some of the juice, so the soup is naturally rich. Simmered tomatoes release all their liquid into the pot.
Tips for the Best Result
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Look for deeply colored tomatoes that give slightly when pressed. Slightly wrinkled or split ones that are too soft for a salad are perfect here; that's where the sweetness comes from.
- If your tomatoes are tart and the soup tastes too acidic, stir in a tiny pinch of baking soda (about ⅛ teaspoon) after blending. It neutralizes some of the acid; the soup will foam briefly. Don't add more than that, or it will taste soapy.
- Add tomato paste if your tomatoes are pale. A tablespoon deepens both the color and the flavor.
- Be careful blending hot soup. Only fill a regular blender about a third full and vent the lid, or use an immersion blender.
How to Serve It
Toppings:
- Croutons, tossed with olive oil and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. For a gluten-free crunch, use crispy quinoa instead.
- A swirl of coconut milk and fresh basil.
- Chili flakes and black pepper.
On the side:
- A grilled cheese sandwich or my Guacamole Sandwich
- Naan Without Yogurt or Cornbread Without Milk
- Avocado Bagels
Variations
- More protein: blend in a can of drained white beans. They also make it even creamier.
- Spicy: roast a chopped red chili with the tomatoes, or add chili flakes.
- Air fryer: roast the tomatoes in the air fryer instead of the oven. These air fryer roasted tomatoes show you how.
How to Store and Freeze
- Fridge: let it cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove. Coconut milk can separate slightly after freezing, so whisk or blend it briefly before serving.
FAQ
No. Roasting softens the skins, and a high-speed blender makes them disappear. For a perfectly silky texture, push the soup through a fine-mesh strainer after blending.
Yes. If your garden gives you a mix, cut the larger tomatoes into chunks about the size of a cherry tomato so everything roasts in the same time. The soup may be a little less sweet, depending on the tomatoes.
Make a double batch of this soup and freeze it in portions. Or freeze the tomatoes whole: spread them on a tray, freeze, then transfer to a bag.
Yes, straight from the freezer, no need to thaw. Roast them a little longer, until they've burst and the extra liquid has mostly cooked off. Frozen tomatoes release more water, so start with less broth or skip it until you've blended.
Not for this recipe. Roasting is what gives it its flavor, and canned tomatoes are too wet to roast well. For a version that uses canned tomatoes, try my Canned Tomato Soup recipe.
No. Home-canning guidelines say not to add cream, milk or other thickeners to canned soups, and coconut milk counts. Freeze it instead.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup (8 Ingredients)
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet + parchment paper
- 1 high-speed or immersion blender
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 lb (1 kg) cherry tomatoes cleaned
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves (skin on, top chopped off)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to drizzle *optional, see notes
- ½ cup (80 g) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk *see notes for substitutions
- ¼ cup (55 ml) vegetable broth ,plus more as needed
- 1 small handful of fresh basil *or 1 teaspoon Italian mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the cherry tomatoes, onion, salt and olive oil and toss until coated.2 lb cherry tomatoes, 1 yellow onion, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to drizzle, 1 tsp salt
- Add the garlic. Roast on the middle rack for 40 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and are lightly charred.4 garlic cloves (skin on, top chopped off)
- Let cool slightly. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins and add it to a blender with the roasted tomatoes, onion and all the pan juices. Add the coconut milk, ¼ cup broth and basil and blend until smooth. (Or blend in a saucepan with an immersion blender.) Add more broth a splash at a time until the soup is as thick as you like.½ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, ¼ cup vegetable broth, 1 small handful of fresh basil
- If the soup has cooled, warm it gently in a saucepan or in the microwave.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. If your broth was unsalted you may need more salt.
- Optional Toasted Bread Step: I like to brush a couple of slices of white bread (sourdough or ciabatta) with olive oil and add it to the veggies in the oven for the last 10 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Coconut milk: use full-fat for the creamiest result; you can't taste the coconut. Cashew cream, soy cream or heavy cream (not dairy-free) work instead.
- Broth: start with ¼ cup. It's easier to thin a thick soup than to thicken a thin one.
- Oil-free: skip the olive oil.
- Storage: up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Whisk or blend after thawing if the coconut milk separates.
Leave a Reply