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Italian Gluten-free Easy

Charred Tomato & Basil Soup

Tomatoes blistered under the broiler until blackened in spots, blended with basil and a splash of cream for a soup with real smoke behind it.

4.6 (729 reviews) · 35 min total · Serves 4
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Bowl of charred tomato and basil soup with a swirl of cream and olive oil

Recipe facts

Servings

4

4 servings

Scale quantities from 1 to 24 servings

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Italian
Dietary
Gluten-free
Category
Lunch

Overview

About this recipe

Charred Tomato & Basil Soup is a easy lunch recipe from our Italian files, built from 9 ingredients and 7 steps and timed at 35 minutes from board to table. Tomatoes blistered under the broiler until blackened in spots, blended with basil and a splash of cream for a soup with real smoke behind it.

As written it yields 4 servings, and the ingredient list rescales with the servings control below so the shopping quantities always match what you are actually cooking. It is logged as gluten-free in our catalog, with 10 minutes of hands-on prep and 25 minutes of cooking — useful to know if you are slotting it into a busy evening.

Worth cooking

Why you'll love it

  • Weeknight-sized

    35 minutes total, with only 10 of them hands-on.

  • Easy to follow

    7 numbered steps and 9 ingredients, nothing hidden.

  • Gluten-free as written

    And the substitutions section covers the common swaps if you need to shift it further.

  • Scales cleanly

    Written for 4, adjustable from 1 to 24 servings with quantities recalculated for you.

  • Tested and re-tested

    Rated 4.6 across 729 cooks in our recipe box.

  • Italian flavours

    Filed under lunch — see the variations below for other directions.

From the recipe box

Charred Tomato & Basil Soup

Yield
4 servings
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min

Shopping list

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered · scaled for 4 servings

Nutrition total for 4 servings

Calories
856
Protein
20 g
Carbohydrates
88 g
Fat
52 g
Fibre
20 g

Catalog values are per serving estimates, multiplied here for the selected servings.

Step by step

Method

  1. Heat the broiler and spread the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a foil-lined sheet pan.

  2. Toss with the olive oil and salt, then broil 6 inches from the element for 15 minutes, until the tops are blistered and blackened in places.

  3. Squeeze the garlic from its skins and scrape everything, juices included, into a saucepan.

  4. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.

  5. Off the heat, add most of the basil and blend until smooth with an immersion blender.

  6. Stir in the cream and vinegar, then taste and adjust the salt.

  7. Serve topped with the remaining basil and a thread of olive oil.

Cook's note

Do not wash the sheet pan before deglazing it with a splash of stock — those dark sticky patches are most of the flavour.

Swaps that work

Ingredient substitutions

5 swaps matched to this ingredient list, with quantities shown for 4 servings. The ratios stay the same at any scale.

  • Dairy 1:1

    Instead of 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

    Full-fat coconut cream (savoury) or chilled oat whipping cream

    Dairy-free. Coconut adds a faint sweetness that suits soups; oat cream whips more softly, so allow an extra minute.

  • Stock 1:1

    Instead of 2 cups (475 ml) vegetable stock

    Low-sodium stock of the other kind, or water plus 1 tsp white miso per cup

    Miso water keeps it vegan and savoury. Because you control the salt, taste and season at the end.

  • Oils 1:1

    Instead of 3 tbsp olive oil

    Avocado or light rapeseed oil

    Higher smoke point for hard searing and roasting, but you lose the peppery finish — save a little olive oil to drizzle at the end.

  • Acids 1:1

    Instead of 1 tsp red wine vinegar

    Apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice

    Cider vinegar is a touch fruitier; lemon is softer, so add it off the heat to keep the lift.

  • Herbs 1:1 by volume

    Instead of 1 large bunch basil, leaves picked

    Fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley, half and half

    Keeps the fresh, green finish. Dried basil is not a substitute here — it tastes flat against the raw tomato.

Options

Make it your own

  • Add some heat

    A pinch of chilli flakes bloomed in the cooking fat, or a spoonful of chilli crisp at the table, lifts the dish without rewriting it.

  • Meat-free direction

    Roasted cauliflower, mushrooms or firm tofu can stand in for the protein — see the substitutions section for weights and timing.

  • Dairy-free version

    The dairy swaps below are all 1:1 or close to it. Expect a slightly leaner texture rather than a different dish.

  • Change the herb

    Soft herbs swap by volume. Keep the woody ones in the cooking and the tender ones for finishing.

  • Scale it for a crowd

    Doubling from 4 works, but use two pans rather than one — crowding steams what should brown.

At the table

Serving suggestions

  • Room temperature suits this better than fridge-cold — give it 20 minutes out before serving.
  • Bread with a real crust, for mopping or scooping.
  • A sharp green salad dressed only with lemon and oil keeps the plate light.
  • Add a protein — jammy eggs, roasted chickpeas, or leftover chicken — to make it a full meal.

Get it right

Success tips

  1. Read the method through once before you start and set out the ingredients — most mistakes happen mid-step.
  2. Weigh or measure to the list at your chosen serving size; the quantities above are already scaled for 4 as written.
  3. Heat the oven fully before anything goes in, and give food space on the pan — crowded trays steam instead of browning.
  4. Let the pan get properly hot and then leave the food alone; the colour you want only forms on undisturbed contact.
  5. Taste and adjust salt and acid at the end. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar fixes more dishes than extra salt does.
  6. Cook's note: Do not wash the sheet pan before deglazing it with a splash of stock — those dark sticky patches are most of the flavour.

Keeping it

Storage & make-ahead

Fridge

Store components in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days. Keep dressings, herbs and anything crisp separate until you serve, or the texture goes limp overnight.

Freezer

Not recommended: the raw vegetables and fresh dairy here break down and weep on thawing. Make the dressing or sauce ahead instead — that part keeps for a week in the fridge.

Reheating

Warm gently, covered, over low heat or in a 325°F (165°C) oven until hot through, loosening with a spoonful of stock or water. Re-season and add fresh herbs or acid at the end.

Make ahead

With 10 minutes of prep, most of the chopping, mixing and measuring can be done a day early and refrigerated. Leave the final 25 minutes of cooking, and any finishing herbs, acid or dairy, for the day you serve.

Kit

Equipment checklist

  • Oven, fully preheated
  • Large rimmed sheet pan
  • Heavy pot or Dutch oven with a lid
  • Blender or immersion blender
  • Digital scale, mixing bowls, sharp knife and board
  • Large mixing bowl and a smaller one for dressings or seasonings
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping
  • Measuring cups and spoons, plus a ladle for serving

Questions

Frequently asked

Can I change the number of servings?

Yes. The recipe is written for 4 servings and the control in the recipe card rescales every ingredient quantity and the nutrition estimate from 1 to 24 servings. Cooking times change far less than quantities do, so use the visual and temperature cues in the method rather than the clock.

How far ahead can I make it?

Most of the 10 minutes of prep can be done a day ahead and refrigerated. Leave the 25 minutes of cooking and any fresh finishing — herbs, acid, dairy, crisp toppings — for serving day. The storage section above has the specifics.

What if I am missing an ingredient?

Check the substitutions section: each swap lists a workable ratio and what it changes about flavour, texture or timing. Salt, acid and fat are the elements worth keeping honest; almost everything else has a sensible stand-in.

Can I make a meat-free version?

Often, yes. The substitutions section gives a plausible stand-in with adjusted weights and timing. Expect a different dish rather than an identical one, and season more assertively — meat contributes salt and fat as well as flavour.

My timing came out differently — what happened?

Pan size, how full the pan is, and how cold the ingredients were all shift timing by several minutes. Trust the described look and feel at each step, and give the food room so it browns instead of steaming.