This creamy roasted tomato soup is a cozy September staple, made with roasted Roma tomatoes, onion, and a whole head of garlic, then blended until velvety. A little cottage cheese blends right in for extra protein and creaminess, and it is endlessly adaptable to whatever you have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Tomato Soup
Deep roasted flavor. Roasting the tomatoes, onion, and garlic makes it rich, sweet, and caramelized.
Creamy and high protein. Blended cottage cheese adds protein and a silky texture.
Budget friendly. Perfect for using up in-season Roma tomatoes when they are cheap and everywhere.
Endlessly adaptable. Blend in cream, milk, cream cheese, or beans depending on what you have.
Cozy comfort food. The ultimate bowl for fall, especially with crusty bread for dipping.
Homemade tomato soup is one of those recipes that feels so much more special than the canned version, and it is genuinely easy. The oven does most of the work, then you just blend and warm it through.
What You Need to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
Here is everything you need, plus a few of my favorite products. Full measurements are in the recipe card above.
Roma tomatoes. Eight to ten, halved. Romas are meaty and low in water, so they roast down beautifully.
Onion. One large onion, quartered, for sweetness and depth.
Garlic. A whole bulb, roasted until soft, sweet, and jammy.
Olive oil. To help everything roast and caramelize.
Salt, pepper, and chili flakes. The chili flakes are optional but add a subtle warmth.
Broth or bone broth. Thins the soup to the perfect consistency; bone broth adds extra protein.
Cottage cheese. My pick for creaminess plus a protein boost. It blends in completely.
How to Make Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
Here is the quick walk-through, and the full recipe is in the card above.
Prep. Halve the tomatoes, quarter the onion, and slice the top off the garlic bulb.
Season and roast. Drizzle everything with olive oil and seasonings, wrap the garlic in foil, and roast at 400 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Blend. Squeeze the roasted garlic into a blender with the tomatoes and onion, add broth and cottage cheese, and blend until smooth.
Warm and serve. Heat it through in a pot, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
If you have an immersion blender, you can add everything straight to the pot and blend it right there for even less cleanup.
What to Blend In: Cottage Cheese and Other Options
This is where you can make the soup your own. I love blending in cottage cheese because it melts right in for a creamy texture while adding protein, but you have options depending on what you have and your dietary needs. Use heavy cream or half-and-half for a classic rich soup, milk for something lighter, or cream cheese for extra tang and body. For a dairy-free, vegan version, blend in a can of drained white cannellini beans, which make the soup wonderfully creamy and add fiber and plant protein. Any of these work in the same amount, so feel free to swap.
Macros for the Cottage Cheese Version
Because I blended in half a cup of cottage cheese for extra protein and creaminess, here is roughly what one serving looks like for this version, based on four servings and using bone broth: about 170 calories, 10 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of fat per serving. Keep in mind these are estimates and will shift depending on your exact tomatoes, the broth you use, and whether you swap the cottage cheese for cream, milk, or beans. The bone broth and cottage cheese together are what make this version especially satisfying and protein-forward.
Tips for the Best Tomato Soup
Do not rush the roast. Let the tomatoes and onion get soft and caramelized for the deepest flavor.
Roast the garlic whole. Wrapping the bulb in foil makes it sweet and jammy, not sharp.
Blend well. For the silkiest texture, blend a full minute, especially with cottage cheese.
Season at the end. Taste after blending and adjust the salt, since roasting concentrates the flavors.
Save the pan juices. Scrape all those roasted juices into the blender; that is where the flavor is.
What to Serve With Roasted Tomato Soup
Tomato soup and something crusty for dipping is a match made in heaven. Serve it with garlic bread, a grilled cheese, or a hunk of sourdough. A crisp green salad rounds it out into a light meal, and toppings like a swirl of cream, extra cottage cheese, fresh basil, croutons, or a sprinkle of Parmesan make it feel extra special. It is the ultimate cozy lunch or starter on a cool fall day.
Storage and Freezing
This soup keeps beautifully. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. It also freezes well for up to 3 months, so it is a great one to make a big batch of while tomatoes are in season. If you plan to freeze it, the bean or broth-based versions hold up best; very cream-heavy soups can separate slightly when thawed, but a quick blend or whisk brings them back together.
Ways to Customize
Make it your own by roasting in a red bell pepper for a roasted red pepper and tomato soup, or adding a carrot for natural sweetness. Stir in a handful of fresh basil before blending for a bright, herby flavor, or a pinch of smoked paprika for depth. Want it heartier? Blend in the beans and stir in cooked pasta, or top each bowl with grilled chicken. A drizzle of pesto or balsamic glaze at the end is delicious too.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you love a warm, comforting bowl, here are more favorites to try:
Can I taste the cottage cheese?
No. Blended into the hot soup, it melts in completely and just adds creaminess and protein, no cottage cheese flavor.
What tomatoes are best for tomato soup?
Roma tomatoes are ideal because they are meaty and low in water, but any ripe tomatoes work. In a pinch, you can use canned whole tomatoes.
How do I make it dairy free or vegan?
Blend in a can of drained white cannellini beans instead of the cottage cheese and use vegetable broth.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge and freezes for up to 3 months, and the flavor is even better the next day.
Do I need a high-powered blender?
A regular blender or immersion blender works. Just blend a bit longer for the smoothest texture.
How To Make Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
The Ingredients
Ingredients and Substitutions
Roma tomatoes – the best for roasting; any ripe tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes work.
Onion – yellow or white; a shallot works for a milder flavor.
Garlic – a whole roasted bulb; use less if you prefer a subtler garlic flavor.
Broth or bone broth – chicken, beef, or vegetable; bone broth adds extra protein.
Cottage cheese – or heavy cream, milk, cream cheese, or blended white cannellini beans.
What You Need
The Steps
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the halved tomatoes and quartered onion on a large baking sheet. Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
Drizzle the tomatoes, onion, and garlic with olive oil, then sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Wrap the garlic bulb loosely in foil and set it on the pan.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes and onion are soft and caramelized.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add the roasted tomatoes and onion along with any pan juices.
Add the broth and cottage cheese and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a pot and warm over medium heat, stirring, until hot. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips
Swap the cottage cheese for heavy cream, milk, cream cheese, or white cannellini beans depending on what you have or your dietary preference.
For a dairy-free, vegan version, use blended cannellini beans and vegetable broth.
Blend the cottage cheese version well for the smoothest texture, or use an immersion blender right in the pot.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Serve with grilled cheese croutons!
This creamy roasted tomato soup is a September staple in my kitchen, especially when Roma tomatoes are so affordable and abundant everywhere. Roasting the tomatoes with onion and a whole head of garlic gives the soup this deep, sweet, caramelized flavor you just cannot get from a can, and blending it all up makes it velvety smooth.
The best part is how flexible it is. You can switch up what you blend in depending on what you have or your dietary preference, and I love adding a little cottage cheese for extra protein and creaminess. It is cozy, wholesome comfort in a bowl.
Place the halved tomatoes and quartered onion on a large baking sheet. Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
Drizzle the tomatoes, onion, and garlic with olive oil, then sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Wrap the garlic bulb loosely in foil and set it on the pan.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes and onion are soft and caramelized.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add the roasted tomatoes and onion along with any pan juices.
Add the broth and cottage cheese and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a pot and warm over medium heat, stirring, until hot. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Swap the cottage cheese for heavy cream, milk, cream cheese, or white cannellini beans depending on what you have or your dietary preference.
For a dairy-free, vegan version, use blended cannellini beans and vegetable broth.
Blend the cottage cheese version well for the smoothest texture, or use an immersion blender right in the pot.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe creator, toddler mama & wellness enthusiast. Happy&Full is a blog all about quick and easy recipes for every day living! Eating well (and feeling well) doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
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