Best Tomato Soup Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Feb 19, 2021, Updated Mar 02, 2024

5 from 212 votes

164 Comments

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The best homemade tomato soup recipe – this roasted tomato basil soup is easy to make with fresh tomatoes, irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days. Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make tomato soup from scratch!

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (2)

In my opinion, tomato soup with grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Chilly days make me want to grab a spoon and dive into a bowl of fresh, warm tomato soup – and this recipe is the best of the best!

This roasted tomato basil soup is easy to make with fresh tomatoes, irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days. It’s also a perfect recipe to use fresh garden tomatoes and basil during the late summer months.

Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make tomato soup from scratch.

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (3)

Tomato Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, I recommend making this tomato basil soup recipe exactly as it’s written, however we’ll discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions.

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (4)
  • Tomatoes.Choose a vine-ripened, naturally sweet tomato variety for the best flavor.
  • Onion. a sweet yellow or white onion are the best choices.
  • Garlic.jarred minced garlic can be used in place of freshly chopped.
  • Olive Oil.Any neutral oil works well, my second and third choices would be avocado oil and canola oil.
  • Fresh Basil.This can be omitted but I do not recommend it.
  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter works well.
  • All-purpose flour.To make this creamy tomato soup gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.
  • Granulated sugar. brown sugar or honey are good substitutes.
  • Vegetable broth.Chicken broth is a great substitute for vegetable broth.
  • Heavy cream.This is optional, but recommended. The cream cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and makes this tomato soup recipe delicious. Whole milk or half and half are great substitutes.
Best Tomato Soup Recipe (5)

How to Make Tomato Soup

This homemade tomato soup recipe is very easy to make. As always, we’ll walk through how to make tomato soup step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Being making this easy tomato soup by combining tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients with olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.

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Next, spread the tomato mixture onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the tomatoes from the oven, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes, broiling during the last 3 minutes so that some of the tomatoes get lightly charred.

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One the tomatoes, onion and garlic are roasted, add the mixture to the container of a high-powered blender (Vitamix), making sure to scrape all the contents from the baking sheet into the blender. Add fresh basil and blend the mixture on high speed until smooth (about 50 seconds).

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Make a Roux

My favorite way to thicken soups, stews, gravy, etc. is by making a roux, which is how we do it in this tomato soup recipe. Begin by melting the butter over medium-high heat in a large pot.

Then, add flour to the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook until butter and flour mixture is golden brown (30-60 seconds).

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Once the roux is ready, add the broth and sugar to the pot and whisk to combine.

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Next, add the blended mixture to the pot and whisk to combine. If desired (for a creamier soup) add ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

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Serve

Once the soup is ready, serve it warm with your favorite bread and toppings, and definitely make this grilled cheese sandwich! Here are some suggestions:

  • Bread. dip pieces of crusty no-knead bread or pretzel bread into the tomato basil soup.
  • Make homemade croutons or cornbread croutons and serve on top of the soup.
  • Use this homemade whole wheat bread to make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich to dip into the roasted tomato soup.
  • These homemade dinner rolls are a great companion to this creamy tomato soup.
  • Add a swirl of cream, a dash of freshly chopped basil or a spoonful of parmesan cheese to the top!
  • Have a “soup night” and make some of these soup recipes as well: potato soup (seriously the best), chicken noodle soup, sweet potato soup and butternut squash soup.
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Store

Store any leftover roasted tomato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

How to Freeze Tomato Soup

To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individually-sized portions or at least in portions that you’d eat in a sitting as a family.

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (13)

Tomato Soup Recipe FAQs

What can I add to tomato soup to make it taste better?

If you make this recipe I promise this soup will taste amazing. You can add a pinch of sugar, fresh herbs (like the basil in this recipe, additional heavy cream, salt and pepper to adjust it to your liking.

Do you need to peel tomatoes for soup?

You do not need to peel tomatoes, especially because the tomato mixture is blended until it’s smooth.

How do you thicken tomato soup?

The roux thickens this recipe. However, you can thicken tomato soup in a few ways:
1) Cook it uncovered until some of the moisture cooks off and it thickens.
2) Add a combination of 1 TBS water and 1 TBS flour or cornstarch and cook uncovered.
3) Add 1 to 2 TBS of tomato paste and cook until thickened.

How do you make tomato soup less acidic?

Full-fat dairy like cream or half and half helps reduce the acidity of tomato soup.

Can you freeze tomato soup?

To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individually-sized portions or at least in portions that you’d eat in a sitting as a family.

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (14)

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (15)

Best Tomato Soup Recipe (16)

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Best Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe

Laura

The best homemade tomato soup recipe – this roasted tomato basil soup is easy to make with fresh tomatoes, irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days, especially served with a grilled cheese sandwich. Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make tomato soup from scratch!

5 from 212 votes

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 111

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time45 minutes minutes

Total Time50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet, set aside.

  • Combine tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.

  • Spread tomato mixture onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes.

  • Remove from oven, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes, broiling during the last 3 minutes so that some of the tomatoes get lightly charred.

  • Add roasted tomato mixture to the container of a high-powered blender, making sure to scrape all the contents of the baking sheet into the blender.

  • Add fresh basil and blend mixture on high speed until smooth (about 50 seconds).

  • In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.

  • Add flour to melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook until butter and flour mixture is golden brown (30-60 seconds).

  • Add broth and sugar and whisk to combine.

  • Add blended mixture to the pot and whisk to combine. If desired (for a creamier soup) add ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

  • Serve warm with croutons, chopped fresh basil, etc.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

  • Tomatoes. Choose a vine-ripened, naturally sweet tomato variety for the best flavor.
  • Onion.use a sweet white or yellow onion.
  • Olive Oil.Any neutral oil works well, my second and third choices would be avocado oil and canola oil.
  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
  • All-purpose flour.To make this creamy tomato soup gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.
  • Granulated sugar. brown sugar or honey are good substitutes.
  • Vegetable broth.Chicken broth works well.
  • Heavy cream. Whole milk or half and half are great substitutes.

Store

Store any leftover roasted tomato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

How to Freeze Tomato Soup

To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the tomato soup to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individually-sized portions or at least in portions that you’d eat in a sitting as a family.

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1796IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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Best Tomato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to tomato soup to make it taste better? ›

10 Simple Ingredients to Add to Tomato Soup
  1. 1) Fresh Rosemary. Kicking off the list is the simplest way to jazz up your tomato soup – fresh herbs. ...
  2. 2) Sauteed Onions. ...
  3. 3) Crispy Bacon. ...
  4. 4) Cream. ...
  5. 5) Chutney. ...
  6. 6) Melted Cheese. ...
  7. 7) Tinned Anchovies. ...
  8. 8) Toasted Pine Nuts.
Mar 21, 2022

Why does my homemade tomato soup taste bitter? ›

Leaf states that this can be due to burning the sauce in the pot or simply dealing with a batch of produce that are overly acidic or metallic from canning or cooking. This can also come from under-ripe or low-quality tomatoes, as well as stirring in a hefty amount of tomato paste, per Boss The Kitchen.

Is milk better than water for tomato soup? ›

You can use either depending on your taste. Water is perfectly fine but using milk will make the end product much richer. With most brands, you can use either option. Milk makes the tomato soup creamier, and it tastes better, that way.

What's in Panera's tomato soup? ›

Detailed Ingredients

Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Citric Acid), Water, Heavy Cream, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Spices), Corn Starch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Nisin Preparation.

Why do you put milk in tomato soup? ›

This addition helps make the soup feel more comforting. Adding milk or cream to a soup can balance contrasting tastes and help ingredients that don't typically mesh blend seamlessly. Plus, the extra calories in milk or cream can make for a more filling soup served solo and without any accompanying sides.

Why do you put baking soda in tomato soup? ›

When you add baking soda to tomato soup (or sauce, or chili), it neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes. Not only will this make the tomatoes taste less acidic (good news if your tomatoes turned out more sour than you expected), but it also means that you can now add milk to your soup without risking curdling it.

How do you get the tartness out of tomato soup? ›

Many sources recommend adding a pinch of baking soda to a sauce that's overly tart, which raises the pH and makes it less acidic. We've always preferred adding a bit of sugar.

Why is my tomato soup so bland? ›

If your tomatoes are not ripe or lacking in flavor, it can result in a less vibrant soup. Store-bought brands may use tomatoes processed at their peak ripeness. Seasoning: Homemade soups often require proper seasoning with salt, pepper, and other.

What can I add to tomato soup to make it less bitter? ›

How can I reduce the acidity in a tomato soup? With a bit of sugar or honey. Start with a little, then add more to your desired taste. Alternatively, you can also add a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.

Can you add milk to tomato soup without curdling? ›

Baking soda allows you to use milk in your tomato soup recipe without it curdling. If you don't use baking soda, you'll need to use a higher-fat dairy to avoid it separating with the heat and acidic tomatoes.

Is it OK to put milk in tomato soup? ›

But you can make tomato soup with milk or cream. You can even make it creamy by adding potatoes instead of milk. Put whatever you want in there. If I am going to change it from traditional tomato soup (made with water) to creamy tomato soup, I use half-and-half for a rich texture.

What soup did Panera get rid of? ›

The TikTok user alleged that items soon to disappear from the Panera menu include the Bistro French Onion Soup, Ten Vegetable Soup, all cold brew drinks, all grain bowls, and several bakery items, including the blueberry scone, butter croissant, and kitchen sink cookie.

Does Panera tomato soup have cream in it? ›

Vine-ripened pear tomatoes pureed with fresh cream for a velvety smooth flavor accented by hints of red pepper and oregano and topped with black pepper and sea salt croutons.

Why is tomato soup so good? ›

Tomato soup can taste good due to a combination of factors, including the original quality and ripeness of the tomatoes used (Don't use tomato powder or catchup) , the balance of seasonings (such as salt, pepper, and herbs), and the method of preparation.

How to add more tomato flavor to tomato soup? ›

For the most intense tomato flavor, include a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. To get the most out of it, add it to the pan when aromatics like onion and garlic are softened, but before adding the tomatoes. Let the paste cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes, or until it starts to darken in color.

What can I add to my soup to make it tastier? ›

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

How do you make tomato soup taste less like tomato sauce? ›

It's a bit acidic for me, too, so when I have tomato soup, I add some half-and-half or heavy cream. I'd try that before adding a small amount of sugar, which is what I do when I make tomato sauce. And add some Saltines (soda crackers) on top for a little crunch.

How do you balance tomato flavor in soup? ›

How To Cut The Acidity In Tomato Soup
  1. Add a pinch of sugar. ...
  2. Balance with dairy products. ...
  3. Try a dash of vinegar. ...
  4. Incorporate roasted vegetables. ...
  5. Use low-acid tomatoes. ...
  6. Balance with herbs and spices. ...
  7. Cook with a bit of baking soda.
Mar 5, 2024

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