The Best Tomato Soup Recipe - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

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The best Tomato Soup recipe! This homemade tomato soup has rich tomato flavor and a luxurious creamy texture. It’s easy to make with just a few pantry ingredients.

When I’m craving comfort food, a cozy bowl of soup pretty much always hits the spot. We’ve had some extra chilly days here this winter, and I’ve been craving bowl after bowl of this tomato soup. It’s smooth, rich and creamy, but it’s made without cream!

A secret ingredient in this tomato soup recipe gives it the best texture and flavor. Any guesses as to what that secret ingredient is? Butter! A few tablespoons of butter bring richness and creaminess to the soup. I use this same trick to make a creamy soup without using any heavy cream in my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup recipe.

I like to serve this soup for lunch or a quick dinner, alongside Air Fryer Grilled Cheese sandwiches. It’s a meal that’s always a hit, even with my picky eaters.

Tomato Soup Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for this tomato soup are simple and easy to keep on hand in your pantry.

• Butter & Olive Oil: Butter adds richness and gives the soup a luxurious texture without using any heavy cream. Since tomatoes can be acidic, the butter also smooths out the flavor of the soup.
• Onion & Garlic: These aromatic ingredients provide a base layer of flavor. I use a fairly minimal amount of onion and garlic in this recipe so that they don’t overpower the tomato flavor.
• Canned Whole Tomatoes: I love making tomato soup with canned tomatoes because they are consistent in quality year-round. It can be hard to find flavorful fresh tomatoes in the winter! Using a good quality brand of canned tomatoes will make a difference in the flavor of the soup. I like to use San Marzano tomatoes.
• Tomato Paste: Adds rich tomato flavor.
• Vegetable Broth: To thin out the soup. I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth so that you can better control the amount of salt.
• Sugar: Adding a little granulated sugar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes, giving you a soup with a smoother flavor. I use 2 teaspoons of sugar. You can adjust the amount to your tastes.
• Salt & Pepper: For flavor. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

How to Make Tomato Soup

This soup is so easy to make! In just a few steps and just over 30 minutes time, you can have a steaming pot of homemade tomato soup ready to enjoy.

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Sauté the onion until softened. Then add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
3. Add the whole tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, broth, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for 20 minutes. As the soup cooks, stir it occasionally and use a spoon to break up the tomatoes a bit.
5. Purée the soup until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by transferring the soup to a counter top blender.
6. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• To make tomato basil soup, after simmering the soup, stir in 1 cup of loosely packed fresh basil leaves. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and then blend until smooth.
• If you prefer a creamy soup, you can stir in up to 1/2 cup of heavy cream or coconut milk after blending the soup. Then gently warm the soup over low heat until it is hot, and serve.
• To make this soup dairy-free and vegan, substitute olive oil for the butter. I recommend also stirring in 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the finished soup to give the soup a rich, creamy flavor without using butter.

What to Serve with Tomato Soup

While grilled cheese and tomato soup are a classic combination, a grilled cheese sandwich is certainly not the only thing that you can serve alongside this wholesome soup. It’s delicious with sliced crusty bread, Garlic Bread, Dinner Rolls, Honey Yeast Rolls or Drop Biscuits. We also enjoy this soup with a crisp Green Salad, Kale Avocado Salad or Spinach Salad.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Like most soups, leftover tomato soup reheats wonderfully. It also freezes well! To store and reheat:

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• To Reheat: Reheat in a pot on the stove over low heat or in the microwave.

More Cozy Soup Recipes

• Crockpot Potato Soup
• French Onion Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• Lentil Soup
• Cauliflower Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Cabbage Soup

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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Jan 5, 2022

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