Roasted Red-Pepper and Tomato Basil Soup

Plus the Secret to Perfect Grilled Cheese. It doesn’t get any better than this, people.

This recipe is a riff on classic tomato soup, but the addition of fresh basil and roasted red-peppers bring it a superior depth and a fresh, vegetal brightness that truly elevates this dish to the next level. 

Serve with grilled cheese (pictured), in a bread bowl, with a rustic hunk of French bread – or just by itself.

This Post Last Updated 1/12/2025

Ingredients:

For the Soup

1. 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2. 2 medium shallots, halved (or 1 medium onion, quartered)
3. Another medium onion, finely diced
4. 1 whole bulb (yeah) garlic (see roasting instructions below)
5. 2 stalks of celery, diced
6. Peeled shavings of 1 carrot (top shavings discarded) – use vegetable peeler
7. 1 Red Bell Pepper
8. 2 lbs fresh Roma Tomatoes (or Tomatoes on the Vine), quartered
9. 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
10. 2 tablespoons miso paste (optional, adds umami!)
11. 4 cups (32oz box) low sodium chicken stock
12. Large handful basil leaves
13. Several sprigs thyme
14. 1/3 cup heavy cream, or to taste.

For the Grilled Cheese

1. Sourdough Bread
2. Several different types of cheeses – Use several different types of cheese (cheddar, gruyere, provolone) for the most interesting results
3. Butter

Instructions:

For the Soup

1. Cut up 2lbs of large high quality tomatoes along with 1 red pepper, 1 white onion, a bulb of garlic prepped for roasting*, several sprigs of fresh thyme and Aleppo Chili 
2. Season with sea salt and 3tbsp olive oil, toss to coat, then roast at 400°F for 30 mins, cover with foil and roast another 15 minutes 
3. To a large pot laced with olive oil, add 1 finely diced onion, carrot shavings, diced celery sticks and a bunch of basil – cook on med high ~5 mins
4. Add in your roasted vegetables with all the juices + 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes + 2 tablespoons miso paste, and squeezed head of roasted garlic 
5. Simmer and stir for 5 minutes before adding 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, then add a lid and let simmer for ~35 mins
6. Remove lid and remove the basil + any thyme stems
7. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches as necessary 
8. Add in 1/3 cup heavy cream and combine, then season to taste 
9. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and a few drizzles of heavy cream

For the Grilled Cheese

1. Build sandwiches as normal, then place on a wire rack and pop them in the oven at 200°F until the cheese melts
2. Butter both sides of the sandwiches, and sear in a hot skillet or griddle

How to Roast Garlic

Note: For this recipe, just do steps 1-3 and add to the roasting pan with the pepper and tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Snip any weird stuff off the bottom of the garlic cloves.  You want them to stand up with cloves exposed as much as possible.
3. Cut the top third off the garlic heads using a serrated or bread knife.  Place the garlic cut side up (cloves exposed) into a small (9×9 works great here) roasting pan.
4. Drizzle all the cloves with olive oil.  Flip a few times if necessary to insure even coating.  Season with kosher salt.
5. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for about 1 hour.  Begin checking after 50 minutes; insert a cake-tester or toothpick into one of the cloves; it should be very soft (like the consistency of a well-cooked potato) when done.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool, covered, for 30 minutes.
6. Do 6 or so heads of garlic at a time; freeze the remainder and store in a Ziploc Freezer bag. To thaw, place in the microwave for a few minutes on 20% power