Half-and-Half Tomato Basil Soup with Garlic Croutons

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-24 · Updated 2026-07-24

A comforting tomato basil soup that uses half tomato puree and half vegetable broth for balanced flavor, topped with crunchy garlic croutons. This Mediterranean soup recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs tomato puree, vegetable broth, and olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomato puree
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup bread cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until aromatic but not browned.
3. Step 3: Pour in 2 cups tomato puree and 2 cups vegetable broth, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes to meld flavors.
4. Step 4: Add 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the soup. Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: While the soup simmers, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup bread cubes and 1 minced garlic clove (optional for extra garlic) and toast for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crunchy.
6. Step 6: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth directly in the pot, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches.
7. Step 7: Serve the soup hot topped with the garlic croutons for texture contrast.