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About This Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a warm, comforting bowl of tomato soup, especially on a chilly day. This easy tomato soup recipe is perfect for when you’re craving something simple yet satisfying. Made with just a few pantry staples like canned tomatoes, garlic, onions, and a splash of cream, this soup is quick to prepare, delicious, and full of rich, vibrant flavor.
Whether you’re pairing it with a classic grilled cheese sandwiches, homemade crostini or enjoying it on its own, this homemade tomato soup recipe will soon become your go-to for a cozy meal in minutes. The secret ingredients? A pinch of sugar. A little sugar paired with the acidity of the tomatoes and heavy cream creates a flavorful soup that whole family will love.
Plus, it’s easily customizable—add herbs, spice, or extra vegetables to make it your own!
For more delicious soup recipes, try my lasagna soup, chicken pot pie soup, creamy chicken noodle soup or french onion soup!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Tomato Soup Recipe
- Fresh and flavorful! Tastes WAY better than canned tomato soup!
- Super quick! This homemade soup is ready in just 30 minutes!
- Classic comfort food! Delicious on it’s own or served with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich or side salad!
- Easy to make! Made with just a handful of pantry staples.
- Delicious recipe! This tasty soup is great for a warm lunch or quick weeknight dinner!
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in my cooking so I can control the amount of salt but you can use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand. Just reduce or omit the amount of additional salt.
- Onion: white or yellow onion will both work.
- Garlic: fresh minced or garlic cubes!
- Broth: chicken broth or vegetable broth both work. You can also use bone broth for extra protein!
- Crushed tomatoes: I like using the crushed tomatoes with basil for extra flavor! I highly recommend using a high quality tomato like Muir Glen as I think they’re the best canned tomatoes.
- Sugar: use granulated sugar or your favorite sweetener alternative.
- Basil paste: you can typically find this in the produce section!
- Heavy cream: heavy cream works best to give this soup a thick, creamy texture! You can also use coconut milk as a dairy-free alternative.
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated is best!
- More veggies: add additional veggies like carrots, spinach, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, kale to add additional flavor and fiber!
- Herbs: make this soup unique by adding additional fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary or parsley.
- Spice: if a little bit of heat, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes, diced jalapenos, or use a variety of spicy tomatoes like fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Cheese: add feta, goat cheese, white cheddar, etc.
- Bacon: want to add some protein? Add some bacon with your onions to give this soup extra flavor!
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Melt the butter in a medium-to-large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until browned around the edges, about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the minced garlic, stirring for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Remove from heat (move to an empty burner). Carefully pour in the chicken broth and deglaze with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar and basil paste. Give the soup a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Return to a simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let the soup cool some, for about 5 minutes, then to make a creamy consistency, use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot (or transfer to a regular blender in batches once more cool).
5. Return to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Give it one last taste – add more salt if needed or more sugar or heavy cream to balance out the acidity.
6. Serve hot with lots of freshly cracked black pepper + extra parmesan if desired and enjoy!
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If soup thickness too much in the fridge, you can add a dash of broth to help thin it out to your desired consistency.
To freeze, let hot soup cool completely. Then freeze in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3-4 months. I like to store soups in freezer safe bags, then lay flat in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, you can stack the bags vertically to save freezer space!
What To Serve With Tomato Soup
There are so many delicious ways to serve this tomato soup!
- Grilled cheese: you can’t go wrong with a classic grilled cheese sandwich!
- Salad: my simple salad with goat cheese and cranberries or my shaved brussels sprout salad both pair beautifully!
- Roasted veggies: serve with a side of roasted zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower and carrots!
- Crusty bread: serve with my homemade crostini for the perfect little dippers!
- Sliders: for an extra boost of protein serve this creamy tomato soup with my turkey sliders or ham and cheese sliders!
- Little bites: serve with my mac and cheese bites or caprese empanadas!
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?
Yes! You can use fresh tomatoes, but it requires a bit more prep work. You’ll need about 6-8 medium ripe tomatoes. Blanch them, peel the skins, and chop them before cooking. Fresh tomatoes tend to be a bit more watery, so you may need to cook the soup longer to reduce it to your desired consistency.
Can I make this soup without the heavy cream?
Absolutely! You can make a tomato soup that’s dairy-free or lighter by skipping the cream. To try to thicken the soup, you can puree the soup and add a drizzle of olive oil or a spoonful of butter instead.
How do I make this tomato soup thicker?
For a creamier soup, you can low simmer the soup longer to reduce the liquid.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Easy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (28g)
- 1 medium yellow onion (180g) chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chicken broth (240g)
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil
- 4 tsp granulated sugar (16g)
- 2 tsp basil paste (10g)
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream (30g)
- 1/4 cup/1 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
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Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium-to-large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until browned around the edges, about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic, stirring for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Remove from heat (move to an empty burner). Carefully pour in the chicken broth and deglaze with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar and basil paste. Give the soup a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Return to a simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let the soup cool some, for about 5 minutes, then to make a creamy consistency, use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot (or transfer to a blender in batches once more cool).
- Return to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Give it one last taste – add more salt if needed or more sugar or heavy cream to balance out the acidity.
- Serve hot with lots of freshly cracked black pepper + extra parmesan if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
