Tomato Soup Recipe

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is a classic combination for a reason, but this tomato soup recipe is hearty enough to stand on its own. With toasted buttery breadcrumbs and a swoosh of olive oil, it’s rich, decadent, and very simple to make.

Whole San Marzano tomatoes pack a lot of robust tomato flavor, and a splash of cream and a touch of honey balance their natural acidity. A drizzle of olive oil on top brings out all the flavors and looks lovely, too.

Learn how to make Tomato Soup. In just under an hour, you’ll have a super rich, velvety tomato soup.

Ingredients For Tomato Soup

Just a few essential ingredients like carrots, onions, canned whole tomatoes, and veggie broth make up the bulk of this classic tomato soup. A handful of elements like fresh basil, fresh garlic, and honey make it extra tasty. Here’s the full list:

• Extra-virgin olive oil: To cook the carrots, onion, and garlic and keep them from sticking to the pot.
• Carrots: Along with the onions, provides a sweet, rich aromatic base.
• Yellow onion: Lends a strong yet mild flavor that when cooked is slightly sweet without being overpowering.
• Fresh garlic: Adds a fresh, rich, garlicky flavor to the soup.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweet, spicy, tangy elements.
• Whole-peeled tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are best, as they have a robust tomato flavor with relatively low acidity. Whole tomatoes, versus crushed, keep a lot of those flavors in tact for an extra fresh-tasting dish.
• Vegetable broth: Provides the liquid base of the soup.
• Honey: Lends a subtle sweetness.
• Heavy cream: Adds a creamy finish to the soup.
• Fresh basil: For fresh herby notes and classic tomato-basil flavors.
• Toasted bread crumbs (optional): For a little buttery, toasty crunch.

How To Make Tomato Soup

It takes under an hour to make this cold weather favorite. The full recipe directions are below, but here are the basic steps you’ll take:

• Step 1: Cook veggies. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and add the carrots, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until they’re tender and caramelized, which takes about 10 minutes.
• Step 2: Add tomatoes and broth. Add canned whole tomatoes and their juices, vegetable broth, and honey. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
• Step 3: Blend. You could use an immersion blender to blend tomato soup, or, if necessary, transfer it over (in batches) to a blender. Drape a towel over the opening and carefully process until smooth.
• Step 4. Add cream. Return the blended soup to the Dutch oven and stir in cream. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, more heavy cream, black pepper, basil, and toasted bread crumbs.

What Is Tomato Soup Made Of?

Tomato soup is made from canned or fresh tomatoes, carrots and onions for an aromatic base and vegetable broth or stock. Many recipes include bacon for an extra smoky or rich flavor, and it’s common to add fresh herbs like basil to finish the hearty soup.

What To Add To Tomato Soup To Make It Better

Classic tomato soup is a great base for being creative. Here are a few suggestions:

• Cheese, please: Adding cheese such as Parmesan while it’s hot can add a toasty, cheesy, umami note to tomato soup.
• Top off: Top tomato soup with buttery toasted croutons for crunchy texture and buttery flavor. This recipe calls for breadcrumbs toasted in butter, which is similar, and there are many ways you can dress up these crumbs with fresh or dried herbs like basil or an Italian seasoning blend.
• Take a dip: Any sort of toasted or crusty buttered bread is great for dipping into hot, creamy tomato soup.

How To Reheat Tomato Soup

If you’re reheating more than a serving or two, it might make sense to pour the leftover soup back into a soup pan and warm it up on the stove. This way, everything is heated evenly and at once.

Otherwise, you can reheat leftover tomato soup in the microwave. Don’t add any garnishes until just before serving.

What To Eat With Tomato Soup

For a comforting weeknight dinner, a bowl of homemade tomato soup can rarely be topped. But if you want a little something extra to fill out the meal, the classic grilled cheese is always a good go-to. Also, don’t overlook other sandwiches like Funeral Sandwiches, a ham sandwich, or a Pork Chop Sandwich.