Calling all fresh tomato lovers! Transform sun-ripened summer tomatoes into a luscious, velvety soup. By utilizing the air fryer, we achieve perfectly roasted tomatoes, red bell peppers, and aromatic vegetables, infusing them with a rich and smoky flavor. Blended to creamy perfection with a touch of heavy cream, accented by parmesan cheese, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil, Air Fryer Roasted Tomato Soup is not only easy to make but also a delicious treat. Perfect for a light dinner for two or a sophisticated appetizer, this soup is sure to become a staple in your summer recipe collection.
The Soup That’s Made for Summer
As an avid tomato grower, I’m always on the lookout for the tastiest ways to use up these garden jewels. I realize that soup isn’t always everyone’s go-to option for summer meals, but that’s where the air fryer comes in.
With minimal cooking at the stove, this soup keeps your kitchen cool by roasting veggies in the air fryer, and then blending everything up in a high-speed blender. The soup is finished briefly on the stove to heat through and swirl in the cream for a smooth and luscious result.
Soup is extra lovely when you can use super fresh, locally grown produce at the height of the growing season. It’s worth a trip to the farmers’ market if you don’t grow your own veggies!
Before we get started, keep in mind that, unlike a baking sheet, air fryers have a fixed amount of room to accommodate vegetables for roasting. This recipe makes two or three generous servings. If you’re looking for a recipe that makes more soup, check out my Sheet Pan Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup.
Ingredients, Prep Notes, and Substitutions
Tomatoes — I totally don’t have anything against canned tomatoes, but as I’ve said, this soup was built for summer, and summer is all about the fresh tomatoes! Use the tastiest tomatoes you can find. Some people like to use roma tomatoes because they’re meatier. And if that’s you, consider using a mix of tomatoes, including super flavorful heirloom varieties like Cherokee Purple and Brandywine.
Red Bell Peppers — Tomatoes and bell peppers are such complementary flavors, I simply can’t resist using them together. Did you know that tomatoes and peppers are botanically related? They’re part of the nightshade family, along with eggplant and potatoes. I grow both in my garden because they have endless uses together, and the sweet peppers add lovely flavor to this soup.
Aromatics — Onions and garlic round out the flavoring components of this soup. They’re so lovely roasted!
Broth — My go-to soup broth is low-sodium chicken broth. But you can make this soup vegetarian by using a good-quality vegetable broth. For my tastes, beef broth would overwhelm the flavors in this soup, so I would stick with something lighter, like chicken or vegetable.
Heavy cream — I absolutely love creamy tomato soups, so for me, cream is a must-have. If you’d like to cut down on dairy fat, you could use half-n-half or whole milk. Keep in mind that dairy dulls flavors a little bit, so keep on top of the soup’s seasoning.
Additional seasonings — Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar add umami and acid to the flavor profile. A pinch of sugar mellows out the sharp edges of the tomatoes’ and vinegar’s acids. You can substitute nutritional yeast for the parmesan, if cheese in soup is not your thing. And finally, I added basil leaves because it’s a classic summery pairing with tomatoes.
How to Make Air Fryer Roasted Tomato Soup, with Step-by-Step Photos
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to get the full ingredient list, quantities, cooking times, and detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making this soup.
Step 1: Prep the vegetables
The goal of slicing the vegetables is threefold: 1) cut them smaller than whole so they’ll fit in the basket of your air fryer; 2) slice each vegetable into specific sizes so that all vegetables finish cooking at the same time; and 3) expose more sides of the veggies so that they can cook more evenly under the close heat of the air fryer, rather than just scorching the outsides. Here are my recommendations:
Slice the tomatoes in half. Slice the onion into quarters or sixths (through the root to hold the wedges together). Cut the pepper lobes into 2″ pieces. Slice the carrot in half lengthwise, then into 1” chunks. Note that carrots take longer to cook than the other veggies here, so the pieces need to be small in order to finish at the same time as the rest. Peel the garlic cloves (you can leave them whole).
Toss the veggies in a small amount of oil. You don’t need much; just a drizzle.
Step 2: Cook the veggies in the air fryer
Arrange the vegetables in the basket. You’ll likely to need to create a partial second layer of veggies to fit everything in. Keep the layers as flat as possible, making sure they don’t exceed the recommended fill capacity, and they don’t touch the heating elements above.
Note that the vegetables will exude liquids as they cook. I will leave it to you whether you line your air fryer with something or not, as it will depend on your model of air fryer (refer to the instructions if you’re not sure). I don’t use foil or parchment paper; everything just drips into the solid basket, which is easy to clean.
Cook at 370ºF for 25 minutes. Check the veggies at the 12-minute mark. Use tongs to both flip and rearrange the veggies so that the undersides have the opportunity to roast (especially important if you have slightly stacked layers). Take note of the “doneness” of the veggies. If they’re browning fast, you might not need the entire 25 minutes. In any event, plan to check the veggies again at 20 minutes to make sure you’re not on track to burn anything to a crisp.
Step 3: Blend the soup
Transfer the roasted veggies to the jar of a powerful blender or large food processor. If you don’t have a blender, see the recipe card for instructions on using an immersion blender.
Pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the veggies, and add the vinegar, parmesan cheese, sugar, and basil leaves, along with a generous pinch of salt and some black pepper.
Blend for 30 seconds until the soup is at your preferred consistency.
Pour the soup into a soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Finish the soup
Let the soup heat until bubbles just begin to break through the surface, then turn off the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Stir in the heavy cream. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with your favorite garnishes, such as croutons, shaved parmesan cheese, more cream, bacon bits, or snipped chives.
This creamy-but-light Air Fryer Roasted Tomato Soup can be made ahead and stashed in the fridge for several days. It makes the perfect lunch, either at home or in the office.
Of course, tomato soup is the perfect accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich. But also try it with this Mediterranean Burrata Fried Toast, or Chili Crisp Fried Eggs on Avocado Toast or even leftover Italian Antipasto Salad.
This has quickly become one of my favorite weekday soups, and I hope you’ll love it, too!
Air Fryer Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes
- 1 small white or sweet onion
- 1 red bell pepper (about 8 ounces, medium)
- 1 medium carrot, scrubbed clean
- 3 cloves garlic
- avocado or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 basil leaves
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Prep the veggies
- Slice the tomatoes in half.
- Slice the onion into quarters or sixths.
- Cut the pepper into 2″ pieces.
- Slice the carrot in half lengthwise, then into 1” chunks. Carrots take longer to cook than the other veggies, so the pieces need to be small in order to finish at the same time as the rest.
- Peel the garlic cloves (you can leave them whole).
- Toss the veggies in a small amount of oil. You don’t need much; just a drizzle.
Roast the veggies
- Preheat your air fryer to 370ºF. Then cook for 25 minutes. Flip and rearrange the veggies at the 12-minute mark using tongs — don’t shake the basket; remember there are liquids exuded from the veggies in the basket.
Smooth out the soup using a high-speed blender
- You don’t have to peel the tomatoes and peppers if you have a high-powered blender.*
- Add the roasted veggies to the jar of a blender. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the veggies, and add the vinegar, Parmesan cheese, sugar, and basil leaves. Add a big pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the soup is at your preferred consistency.
- Pour the soup into a soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
- Now skip to the “Finish the soup” step.
Or, using an immersion blender
- If you’re using an immersion blender instead of an upright blender, add the roasted veggies from the air fryer to a soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to start, along with the vinegar, Parmesan cheese, sugar, and basil leaves (if they’re large, tear them into smaller pieces). Run the immersion blender through the pot, pulsing until it reaches your desired consistency. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time.
Finish the soup
- Let the soup heat through for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let rest for a few minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed.