This Greek tomato soup has traditional flavors and it’s really easy to make. The additions of feta and basil give a mediterranean feel and make the soup smell like summer. The crushed chili peppers add a nice kick and an extra layer of flavor.
Like most people, I love tomato soup. It is creamy and comforting and in general good for you. I wanted to develop a soup that would allow me to incorporate flavors I grew up with.
This soup has all the aromas of the Mediterranean.
Tomatoes are really important to us Greeks 🙂
A Greek household is never out of tomatoes. When Daryl and I lived in Athens for almost a year he had tomatoes for lunch EVERY DAY. That’s right, every single day. He could not believe how tasty and inviting tomatoes were in Greece. He would go to the local market and buy the juiciest most fragrant tomatoes to make a salad. We would add lots of extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh basil (from our plant on the terrace) and a couple of pieces of feta. These are exactly the flavors I wanted for this fresh tomato soup recipe.
You only need a few ingredients.
- Ripe, juicy tomatoes.
- Bell peppers.
- Fresh herbs like thyme and sage.
- Onions and garlic.
- Vegetable broth.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Fresh basil and good quality Greek feta for serving.
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Add the tomatoes, pepper, onions and garlic in a large baking pan, season with salt and pepper and add herbs like oregano, sage, thyme. Herbs can be fresh or dry. I sprinkle 2-3 tbsp olive oil all over, mix gently and bake for 60 minutes.
Half way check the tomatoes, pepper and onions and rotate them so they lay on the opposite side for an even bake. Bake for another 60 min.
Note: My tomatoes were uneven in size. The smaller ones were ready early. I removed any that are done to a plate and set aside.
Transfer tomatoes, onions and the bell pepper to a large pot. Let the garlic head cool on the side.
Discard any hard sprigs from the baking pan and pour the liquid and leftover herbs in the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Blend everything together in the pot with an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender. If using a blender, blend in small batches.
Once everything is blended add some stock—enough to achieve the consistency of your preference. I like my tomato soup velvety and not too thick.
Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, press on the bottom of a clove to push it out of its paper. Add all roasted cloves in the soup. Add the bay leaf, a generous pinch of dry oregano, the chili pepper flakes and the paprika. Simmer in very low heat for about 60 min. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in bowls with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese and lots of roughly chopped fresh basil. Add more chili flakes if you like and enjoy!
You may also try:
- An easy and comforting soup is the traditional Greek lentil soup.
- The red kabocha soup with porcini mushrooms is creamy and sophisticated with layers of flavor.
- Greek Soutzoukakia are delicious meatballs in red sauce flavored with cumin.
- This pastourma pie is a traditional Greek/Turkish recipe that will win glorious reviews at your dinner party.
Check all the pantry items a Greek kitchen wouldn’t go without.
If you’ve tried this recipe or any other on The Greek Foodie, then don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it.
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Greek tomato feta & basil soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs tomatoes
- 1 yellow bel pepper can be red, orange or yellow
- 2 onions quartered and halved
- 1 garlic head
- 6 fresh herbs sage, oregano, thyme
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp red chilli pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
for serving
- red chilli pepper flakes
- crumbled greek feta
- fresh basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 F. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, onions and garlic head in a large baking pan, season with salt and pepper and add fresg herbs like oregano, sage, thyme.Pour 2-3 tbsp olive oil all over, mix gently and bake for 60 minutes.
- Half way check the tomatoes, pepper and onions and rotate them so they lay on the opposite side for an even bake. Bake for another 60 min.Note: My tomatoes were uneven in size. The smaller ones were ready early. I removed any that were done to a plate and set aside.
- Transfer tomatoes, onions and the bell pepper to a large pot. Let the garlic head cool on the side.
- Discard any hard sprigs from the baking pan and pour the liquid and leftover herbs in the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend everything together in the pot with an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender. If using a blender, blend soup in small batches.
- When everything is blended add some stock—enough to achieve the consistency of your preference. I like my tomato soup velvety and not too thick.
- Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, press on the bottom of a clove to push it out of its paper. Add all roasted cloves in the soup. Add the bay leaf, a generous pinch of dry oregano, the chili pepper flakes and the paprika. Simmer in very low heat for about 60 min. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in bowls with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese and lots of roughly chopped fresh basil. Add more chili flakes if you like and enjoy!
Nutrition
You have no red (bell?) peppers or onions listed under the ingredients but they’re supposed to get roasted along with tomatoes…What else is missing? Broth maybe…?
Thank you so much for catching that. It was an error in editing, fixed now.
Do you leave the fresh oregano in there or do you remove it before blending?
Hi Susanne! I usually blend everything together, tossing any hard parts. Fresh oregano is very soft and has already been immersed with everything else by the time all the roasting is done. Thank you x
I bought some Greek basil and searched online for a recipe. I made this tonight. It is delicious, especially with the feta. Yum! Thanks, Jenny
Thank you so much Kate!
Oh man this looks good. I love feta cheese!
Oh man this looks so good. My stepmom made some tomato soup the other day and I will try your recipe for comparison. I’m pretty sure this one is gonna win! I’m drooling lol
Thank you Sam! Please let me know how you liked it!
Oh yum, this looks amazing! I bet it smells so good too! I always love making new soup recipes when the weather gets chilly!
-Madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
I love tomato soup!! Especially in the colder months. I definitely need to check this recipe out!
Kasey Ma
http://www.TheStyleWright.com
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This soup looks and sounds like pure heaven! Seriously… I’m all of a sudden starving. Thanks for sharing this! Definitely going to save this for this winter!
Such a soothing and comforting tomato soup. The spices come together so nicely, and take my word for it…. add ALL the topping ideas….The basil, the feta, the chili flakes. They are all so good in here. And make sure to grab a loaf of bread, too. Yum!
The addition of basil leaves itself enough to have a bowl of tomato soup 🙂 This soup looks creamy and flavorful. I never tasted the greek soup, will try this for sure.
What a flavorful and delicious combo for soup. It looks so creamy. I can finish off the entire bowl 🙂
What a fabulous way to make tomato soup! I love that you roasted most the ingredients! I have a veggie garden full of tomatoes so going to try this out with some of my own!
Looks incredibly delicious. I have to make this Greek Tomato Soup soon for my family!
Tried this soup after a long break. And I was pleasantly surprised. What amazing flavors and just the perfect texture. Thanks for sharing.
I love this Greek twist in the tomato soup. Have been craving for it so I am making this tonight for dinner.
I loved this soup, I really appreciate how much flavor came in the roasting process, and feta was an unusual addition for me but it was really good with the soup. Thanks for sharing.
I have A LOT of Roma tomatoes and a few more juicy ones. Seems like this recipe would still work OK with a mix but primarily Romas, don’t you think? Also do you think it would freeze well (see first statement!), probably best without feta?
Hi Jill! I think it will be just great with a mix of tomatoes, why not? I often mix and match and cook with what I have on hand. It should freeze really well, my friend makes this soup in big batches late summer when all the good tomatoes are around, freezes it and enjoys it in the winter! You are right, best not to freeze with feta, keep the feta cheese for serving only. Thanks so much for making it! x Jenny