Tomato Soup Recipe

white bowl of hearty homemade tomato soup garnished with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper

This creamy tomato soup recipe is velvety smooth, deeply tomato-flavored, and beautifully balanced. It's not too heavy and not at all harsh or acidic. Made with canned tomatoes and ready in just 45 minutes!

Recipe includes a how-to video!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings, approximately 1 cup per serving

Calories 149kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Large non-reactive soup pot such as stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Avoid reactive metals such as non-enameled cast iron, copper, or aluminum which will make the soup taste metallic.
Immersion blender (or regular blender)

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups (400 g) sweet or yellow onion diced (about 2 medium-sized onions)
1 ½ Tablespoons (10 g) minced garlic about 5 cloves
1 ½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 28 oz (793 g) cans whole peeled tomatoes I like to use Cento or other brands of San Marzano when I can find them
2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth)
¼ cup finely sliced basil
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon table salt plus more as needed
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Shredded or grated parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

Place butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook until melted.
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened (about 5-8 minutes).
3 cups (400 g) sweet or yellow onion
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
1 ½ Tablespoons (10 g) minced garlic
Sprinkle flour into the pot and use a spatula to stir until no lumps remain. Continue to cook another 30-60 seconds, while stirring.
1 ½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing and smashing them with your spatula and scraping the bottom of the pot as you add them until no large pieces remain.
2 28 oz (793 g) cans whole peeled tomatoes
Stir in chicken broth, basil, sugar, salt and black pepper and stir well.
2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth, ¼ cup finely sliced basil, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
After simmering, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth (alternatively, puree the soup in batches using a traditional blender and then return to the pot).
Stir in cream and baking soda, stirring until smooth, cohesive in color, and not foamy. Taste-test, if the soup tastes flat at all, add a bit more salt (¼ teaspoon at a time). Since different broths contain varying amounts of salt, it's very possible you will need to add more than indicated.
⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Portion into bowls and serve topped with grated parmesan cheese. This soup is excellent for dipping grilled cheese or just served with a side salad and some crusty artisan bread!
Shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Video

Notes

Tomatoes

This recipe was specifically written for canned whole tomatoes, as fresh tomatoes simply do not guarantee the same flavor and results (you can see my post for more information on this).

Crushed tomatoes may be substituted in a pinch but are not my preference.

Heavy cream

Heavy cream, whipping cream, double cream, or heavy whipping cream will work well in this recipe. I don’t recommend using whole milk or anything with less fat as it could cause the soup to curdle. While I have not tried this recipe with full-fat coconut milk, I suspect it could work as a non-dairy alternative.

Baking soda

A tiny pinch of baking soda works wonders to mellow the taste without diminishing the distinct tomato flavor.

Storing

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This recipe also freezes well and will keep frozen for several months.

Nutrition