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Classic Tomato Soup
Made from pantry staples, this tomato soup is delicious topped with croutons or paired with grilled cheese sandwiches.
This soothing tomato soup made from boxed (or canned) tomatoes is my go-to in the fall and winter when fresh tomatoes are out of season. For a light lunch, top the soup with croutons, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. For a heartier meal, skip the croutons and serve the soup with gooey grilled cheese sandwiches.
What you’ll need to make Classic tomato soup
How to make Classic Tomato Soup
In a large nonreactive pot, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, add the onions and cook over medium-low/medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Do not brown.
Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more, stirring to be sure garlic does not burn. 
Add the flour and continue cooking and stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring to make sure that the flour is not sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Use a hand-held immersion blender to puree soup until very smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and puree in batches in a blender. Be sure to crack the lid or remove the center cap to allow steam to escape.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. 
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, croutons, and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
You may also like
- Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
- Easy Butternut Squash Soup
- Broccoli and Cheddar Soup with Homemade Croutons
- Chilled Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Classic Tomato Soup
Made from pantry staples, this tomato soup is delicious topped with croutons or paired with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 (26-ounce) boxes Pomi chopped tomatoes (or canned diced tomatoes; see note)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Garnish
- Fresh chopped basil
- Seasoned croutons
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- In a large nonreactive pot (see note), heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more, stirring to be sure garlic does not burn. Add the flour and continue cooking and stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring to make sure that the flour is not sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until very smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and purée in batches in a blender. Be sure to crack the lid or remove the center cap to allow steam to escape.) Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, croutons, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired. (Nutritional information below does not include optional garnishes.)
- Note: If you can't find Pomi boxed tomatoes, use canned. Just be sure to cook the soup a little longer, about 40 minutes.
- Note: A nonreactive pot is made of a material that will not negatively react with acids. Glass, stainless steel or enameled pots are all safe to use. Nonstick pots are also okay but be sure there are no scratches in the non-stick coating.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 203
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 843 mg
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Reviews & Comments
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This tomato soup was killer (that’s a good thing)! I have tried so many different grocery store tomato soups (canned, boxed, etc.) and I have always been disappointed. Tomato soup is a comfort food for me and your recipe was divine!!!! Thank you for ending my search for the right tomato soup (I froze the extra and will thaw and heat again on a rainy day).
Hi Jenn! It’s Dana’s friend Rachel (from Philly). How do you think this would do with veggie broth instead of chicken broth? Would I need to make any other adjustments?
Hi Rachel! It’s perfectly fine to use vegetable broth with no other adjustments. Enjoy! 🙂
Love this recipe!!
Please advise regarding the “Rinse the pot.” Instructions in the photo-recipe instructions. If I purée my soup in the Dutch oven in which I cooked it with an immersion blender, any reason I can’t serve it directly from the pot?
Hi Lee, glad you like the soup! Rinsing the pot really isn’t necessary – I just deleted it from the recipe. Sorry for any confusion!
Followed recipe to the letter, fabulous soup. I also made the Leek and Potato at the same time.. I’m a zero confident cook and this website is like finding treasure! Recipes with the level of detail I really need and they are ‘bullet proof’. Also I can’t host and cook at same time (I go to pieces) so I absolutely love the ‘make ahead and freeze‘ recipes. When younger I used to love cooking, but over time the joy disappeared and it was just pure stress, but cooking with Jenn is a lovely experience for me. Thank you so much Jenn for the wonderful content on your website.
So glad you enjoyed it (and that the recipes have helped you enjoy cooking again)!
OK, I blew it! Somehow I wasn’t paying attention and added double the flour to the soup which I am cooking now. Too much soup to double the recipe, any suggetions?
Multi tasking doesn’t work, arghh.
Hi Cathy, I may be weighing in too late to help, but you can thin the soup out with a bit more chicken broth. Hope it turned out okay!!
Thanks for this tasty soup recipe! I used canned Italian Whole Roma Tomatoes and I will take the time to strain out the seeds when I make it again to improve the texture; my immersion blender did not break up the seeds. Trying to cut fat, so didn’t add the butter at the end…..the flavour of the soup is brilliant. Thanks again
Can you use pomi strained tomatoes?
Yes, I use Pomi tomatoes in this. Enjoy!
How many cans (400g) of tomatoes should use for this recipe?
Thanks
You’ll need 2. Hope you enjoy!
First of all, your recipes fit my family and myself wonderfully. I noticed you adapted this recipe from Fine Cooking which is my favorite Tomato Soup recipe and wanted to compare the two recipes. So here goes:
First, if not for your having the same pot as you use pictured, I would probably have used the wrong size.
Second, your rendition of the Fine Cooking recipe was changed enough to have altered the taste and texture significantly, but We love both recipes equally.
My wife had a significant ski accident last winter, so I am the designated cook for about two years. I love to cook, but our child judges say I need more practice, so I will be checking out the “Once Upon A Chef” book and on line for quite a while to come. Thank You! Dr. Bruce Turner
Hi Bruce, Thanks for your feedback on the recipe and I’m so sorry about your wife’s accident! I hope she continues to recover smoothly.
I just finished cooking this and it tasted amazing! It took a little longer than I anticipated (around 2 and a half hours) but think that is because I used canned tomatoes. This soup paired with a grilled cheese sandwich makes one heck of a meal!
Amazing, best ever ! I used canned crushed tomatoes that I had on hand. It worked perfect. I served with homemade croutons.
I’ve never made tomato soup before and decided to try your recipe, since everything else I’ve made from your site is so good. As expected, this was delicious! We had it for dinner yesterday with grilled cheese sandwiches and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks!
I have made this recipe 2 months ago, so delicious 😋 I am making it again tomorrow with grilled cheese. This soup is a family favorite. Thank you!
Elaine – August 20, 2020
Love, love , love, this soup. I’m not a soup person, especially tomato soup but I tried this because I’ve loved most of the recipes here so I’ve decided to try this one. Very easy to make was not sure how it would taste but it turned out fantastic! My husband loved it and I did too. I was licking to bowl, lol. Do not hesitate to try this. I made the recipe exactly how listed however I only garnished it with croutons and cheese.
Simple to make. So delicious. My family couldn’t stop enjoying it!
Btw, I used gluten free flour I had on hand from Trader Joes!
An easy and delicious soup to make. I added a bit more garlic and chili flakes, and swapped in vegetable stock because it’s all I had on hand. This recipe makes a lot and I’m excited to have all the leftovers!!
My husband and I have always been big fans of tomato soup—the homemade kind! My granddaughter (18) has recently learned she has celiac and can’t tolerate flour. Can you suggest an alternative? I have most of the Red Mill “flour” products.
Gluten-free flour will perfectly fine here — hope you (and your granddaughter enjoy)! 🙂
Another family hit. Worth using best quality canned tomatoes.
Hi Jennifer,
Can I make this soup with fresh tomatoes? I have an abundance which are all ripening at the same time.
Kind regards,
Diana
Sure, Diana, but you’ll need to peel them. Hope you enjoy!
How do we make copies of your recipes when we are cooking them? My phone keeps timing out and it is hard to make a recipe from a cell phone. Thanks for your help.
Hi Elysa, when you’re viewing the full recipe (near the bottom of the page), look in the upper righthand corner of that box – you’ll see an icon there that looks like a printer. Select that and it will open a dialog box that gives you printing options. Hope that helps!
Made this soup last week and it was WONDERFUL! This will go on our menu list to make at least once a month! Served with fresh handmade sourdough bread.
Never been a big fan of tomato soup but ……………can’t get enough of this one 😋😋. Used more expensive tinned Italian cherry tomatoes……..so delicious. Only difference to recipe was used thyme and bit of dried chilli flakes.
Great recipe – super easy and tastes so good on a cold winter night. Followed the recipe except reducing the sugar by half, the tomatoes were already sweet.
Delightful soup! I had half a 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes leftover, so quartered this recipe. I whisked in some leftover sour cream at the end. Ready just in time to enjoy with fresh, crusty no knead sourdough and some aged cheddar (deconstructed grilled cheese). Thank you. 🤩
Can you give me this recipe in the correct quantity for 50 people ?
Hi Carol, I don’t have the numbers calculated for that but you’d need to multiply the recipe by 5.
I was looking for a tomato soup recipe for a get-together yesterday and gave this one a try. It was tasty as written although I did add heavy cream at the end based on loved ones’ taste. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity and flexibility! Adding cream? Adding additional spices? Using different broths? You can do all of the above and wind up with a fantastic soup.
Delicious! So happy to make a soup that doesn’t require chopping tons of vegetables! I could only find finely chopped Pomi tomatoes at my local Whole Foods, they worked great. I served this with grilled cheese sandwiches for a yummy dinner. This will definitely go into my rotation of winter soups and chilis. Thanks for the recipe. Your site is always the first one I go to, no matter what I’m looking for. 🙂
❤️
Another super recipe. I tweaked it a bit by adding 1 Tbsp of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and about 1/8 cup of 10% cream at the end.
Going to serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches. I used the hand blender first but felt it wasn’t as smooth as I would like. Super smooth using the big blender,
Made it, loved it, will make it again.
So I have to start off by saying that we don’t even like tomato soup… but the recipes on this website have been just that good that I figured we’d give it a try… And we really enjoyed it. Paired it with grilled cheese for a very tasty meal.
Kiddos asked for tomato soup and grilled cheese during a particularly rainy spring day last week.
Happy to oblige a relatively easy and tasty dinner request, I came straight to Once Upon A Chef and found this.
I had everything already in the pantry. This was delicious, not too oniony for the kiddos and it blended into a beautiful dinner and several lunches for me later.
As usual, thank you!
I was wondering if I added adobe chilis should I omit the thyme? Thanks for your advice! I love everything on your site!
Sure, Celeste (and if you determine that you want a little flavor booster when serving the soup, you could top off each bowl with a tiny bit of thyme). And glad you like the blog! 🙂
This was delicious. Will be a staple in our house.
Great recipe as usual! May I suggest adding a couple of small strips of orange peel to the simmer, and blend them right into the soup at the end. Adds a bit of sweetness and you may decide you don’t need the sugar.
This was last night’s dinner, along with Jenn’s Spinach & Gruyère Quiche. Very successful meal.
Halved the soup recipe, no problem.
Used the Pomi’s, and half a fresh tomato, just because it was staring at me with that “I dare you to use me!” look.
Cut back on the sugar, which was a mistake. Had too much of a bite, so I added more, to make up the 1 Tbl (halved, remember).
Great recipe.
Thanks, Jenn.
Joe
Living with my in-laws while house hunting so my immersion blender is in a box somewhere. I used 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and it came out fine. I like my tomato soup on the thicker side so I used 5 cups of broth and will probably use even less next time. I also made a slurry of some corn starch and water that I tossed in to thicken it up as well. I didn’t use the full 2 tablespoons of butter at the end because I had some heavy whipping cream that needed to get used. Came out delicious and was the perfect consistency for dipping grilled cheese into! This soup will be great the way it’s written or it’s a good base recipe to tweak around for your own tastes and preferences.
This is the only tomato soup my teen will eat. He even had second and third helpings, this after telling me how he hates tomato soup. For some reason, I don’t think I’ve made tomato soup even five times in the past 16 years, but have made this twice this week. It’s excellent.
Oh my goodness! I made this recently for a sick friend and had a hard time not keeping it for myself! Yum! The only adjustment I made was to use vegetable stock in lieu of chicken. So good.
Hi, I was wondering when you add the tomatoes do you add them in their juices or drain them first? Thanks
Hi Niels, you add them with their juices. Hope you enjoy!
Lovely soup. The best thing is you can cook it without making a trip to a grocery store from products most of us keep at home anyways
This recipe is the reason I bought an immersion blender. I love the recipe. I substitute a cup or two of the chicken broth with beef broth, it’s just a flavor thing.
This tomato soup recipe did not disappoint- just like the can soup I had as a kid but so much better. It was so easy and yummy for a cold night. I used the canned tomatoes and it turned out great. Thank you for all the great recipes … since you are a trained chef I always feel confident following your recipes knowing you know what you doing (even when I don’t)!
This is now my go to winter tomato soup. Made just as directed (as I always do the first time). I always have a box or two of Pomi tomatoes in the pantry and always have chicken stock. Everyone loved it. For summer tomato soup I always use Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey’s Cold Tomato Dill Soup – but that is always with fresh, ripe summer tomatoes. I always look at your site when I’m wanting to try something new.
No idea what happened, but this soup came out really strangely! I think it’s because we used homemade chicken stock instead of store bought but it came out very…. jelly-like? As in, when we shook the bowl, it wobbled?
Not sure what we did wrong!
LOL – I do think it had to do with your chicken broth. See more details here.
Summer in the middle of winter! Great recipe to use with great CT local ingredients (jarred tomatoes from a CT farm)
I enjoyed this soup except I thought the thyme was a little too strong for my personal taste. I would cut the thyme in 1/2 (maybe even less) next time I make it. I pureed it in a blender since I don’t have an immersion blender. It made it super smooth and creamy but I feel like an immersion blender would be a lot faster with less clean up. I really liked how this recipe didn’t require any cream. Thank you for another great recipe!
Made your tasty Classic Tomato Soup last weekend, and my family enjoyed every spoonful. Another recipe from your collection that is a proven winner! You never let me down! Can’t wait until your cookbook arrives!
This recipe is great, but for my personal taste preferences (and if you have a little more time on your hands) I roast fresh Roma or plum tomatoes (other types of tomatoes make the soup more watery and dilute the taste) in the oven with some garlic. Instead of using dried herbs, fresh rosemary and thyme really add a nice touch to the flavor.
I have made this soup twice. The first time I would give it a 4.0+ , but I did not use the Pomi tomatoes and just used some canned chopped tomatoes that were in the pantry. Still a very flavorful soup. The last batch was with the Pomi tomatoes… WOW what a difference. Great with your favorite grilled cheese.
Just made this again for the third time today – every time I make it, I’m amazed by how good it is!!! I make exactly as written (except once I only had sweet onions on hand and used those – it was still great, but I found the end result was a little too sweet for my taste. I totally should’ve thought about it before adding the full amount of sugar!) I always serve this with your broiled feta with garlicky cherry tomatoes and capers – it’s become our family’s take on grilled cheese and tomato soup, and even my picky three year old (who strangely does not like grilled cheese sandwiches) gobbles it all up. Thanks again for your perfected recipes! And your cookbook is on my Christmas wish list – so someone in my family should be preordering it soon!
Su
😊
This is my favorite tomato soup recipe ever! Last week I made it with San Marizano tomatoes, yes a splurge in price but they were all I had in the pantry. It was even more sweet and delicious than usual. My family loved it!
Btw, this soup freezes well, just reheat gently on the stovetop.
I made this vegetarian by using Imagine unchicken broth. I also added cooked quinoa which is a complete protein. It’s a substantial meal by itself (although a grilled cheese sandwich on the side doesn’t hurt!).
I made this soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for my father and the soup was delicious! I used a hand-held immersion blender, but there were still tiny onions (maybe I didn’t blend long enough with the wand). After we ate, I read other reviews that the soup was very smooth so I decided to put all the leftovers in the blender and that did make a huge difference, there were no more tiny onion pieces. When my husband had it for lunch the next day, he even commented on how smooth it was. I’ll go straight for the blender next time. I kept the leftovers in the blender pitcher and it was so easy to pour into bowls to serve. Will definitely be making this one again, wonderful flavor!
Question: my Mother, when she would make tomato soup, at the end she would add some baking soda. Was this to take the acid out? How much needs to be added?
Correct – it helps to neutralize the acid in the tomatoes. I don’t believe you need to add much – maybe start with 1/4 tsp. and add more if you think it’s necessary.
Hi Jenn, can I substitute the canned tomatoes for fresh? and if so what would the amount be? Thanks so much !
Definitely, Malak. You’ll need 3.5 to 4 pounds. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn! Love your site! Would this awesome soup be okay to eat after spending 3 days in the fridge? Thanks for all your hard work, can’t wait for your cookbook!
Definitely! 😊
With the exception of using fresh tomatoes, I made this as written. I thought it sounded like a lot of onions but it was perfect. OUTSTANDING recipe.
This recipe is exactly what I was looking for- a classic tomato soup that defines comfort food (especially when paired with a grilled cheese sandwich!). I prepared it exactly as written- it was simple to make (I used my immersion blender and it was easy peasy to make a velvety smooth soup). The recipe made enough for me to freeze some for later.
Perfection and super quick too. Ingredients can be kept on hand for making it as easy as opening a can of soup and the flavor is 100 times better! I used frozen onions and voila, one pot perfection!
Instead of sugar, can you use a grated carrot to sweeten and reduce the acid of the tomatoes?
Hi Jeana, I haven’t tried that so it’s hard to say. If you go that route, you could always add a bit more sugar at the end if necessary.
I made it today. It was very tasty! I like it because it is low in calories and it is full of tomatoes, thus; I feel I am eating very healthy. I even made my own chicken broth using two chicken bones, fresh celery, yellow onions and rosemary. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Just perfect as is! And so easy to make that it will be a frequent lunch at our house. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
Hi Jennifer, I’ve been a fan of your blog for a few years now but I’ve never written a comment. I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for ALL of your delicious recipes. I made the classic tomato soup with the sundried tomato pesto grilled cheese and it was FANTASTIC. Nothing warms my heart more than when my kids rave about something I’ve made. Thanks to you, my confidence in the kitchen is the highest it’s ever been.
Amazing Soup!! Used shallots instead of a yellow onion! This soup so smooth and so delicious!! Will definately make again!
Yum Yum!!!
You have a fan from Brazil! I absolute love your recipes, I did a few and every time I make it, its always delicious! Thanks very much for shared it!
I’ve made this recipe countless times and have also shared it with friends.
It’s perfect as is–no need to change a thing. Thanks, Jennifer!
NEVERMIND, I GOOGLED NON-REACTIVE POT AND GOT MY ANSWER.
HONESTLY, JUST GIVE US THE INFO YOU WANT TO, DONT MAKE US LOOK ALL OVER FOR IT, OK?
THANK YOU.
WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THE SOUP TURNS OUT.
I HAVE STAINLESS STEEL WITH COPPER ON BOTTOM SO I THINK IT WILL BE OK.
RE: NON REACTIVE POT,
YOU DO NOT SHOW WHERE IT IS, I LOOKED, I AM OLD, I CAN NOT FIND IT…
THANK YOU
Just found your fantastic website when searching for the perfect apple cake recipe, which I have found with you! On this tomato soup recipe, will it change the taste too much if I use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth?
Thanks, Michelle! You can absolutely use veggie broth. Enjoy 🙂
Thanks Jenn, so I did use veggie broth and it was another delicious recipe! Thank you – YUM!
Have made this several times and it is always fantastic!
This Tomato Soup is FANTA-BULOUS! The taste is spot-on and so comforting! Just the right amount of tartness and sweetness. (Hubby loves it so much he ate it standing up in the kitchen with a ladle! ? – and he ate around half of it at one go)
It was delicious on its own but adding chopped Basil, Croutons and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano just took it to another level! Your Recipes are amazing, I’ve made so many of your Recipes and each one was a success, love everything! (You can tell how excited I am by looking at all my exclamation mark!!! ?)
Thank you for the easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step pictures!
I am not at all familiar with ‘Pomi boxed tomatoes.’ Could you give me an idea of how many cans of tomatoes could be substituted.? 26 oz of canned would contain more juice than fresh; drain rather than longer cooking? sigh. Soon the garden tomatoes will be ripe. I love homemade tomato soup. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Linda, If you can’t find Pomi tomatoes, use canned. You’d want a total of 52 ounces. Canned tomatoes usually come in 14.5 or 15 ounce cans, so you’d need about 3 1/2 cans. Just be sure to cook the soup a little longer, about 40 minutes.
Thanks for putting your recipes out there have tried several and have not been disappointed. Do my question is can the leftover (if any) tomato soup be frozen?
Glad you’re enjoying the recipes Cheryl :). Yes, you can freeze any leftovers you have of this soup.
Excellent! That’s all!
Split decision in this house! 5s and 3s
We LOVE this soup and have it almost daily. Do you have the nutritional info on it? Specifically we would like to know calories and carbohydrates.
Thanks, Virginia
Hi Virginia, Glad to hear you love the soup! I’ve just added the nutritional info. to the recipe.
Delicious and easy! Another great recipe. I had two 34oz boxes of Cento tomatoes (no Pomi in the store) and used it all and it was amazing. Thank you for a great tomato soup! It was a huge hit!
As always, this is another great recipe. I can’t add much except that I always have canned San Marzano tomatoes in my pantry and I used those rather than make a trip to the market for Pomi. I also added fresh basil to the pot as well as using it for garnish. Does anybody eat tomato soup without a grilled cheese?:-) The ultimate comfort food. I think it reminds all of us of our childhood.
I have made this soup many times when my pantry seemed pretty bare. It’s reliably delicious and goes well witch grilled cheese sandwich on a rainy day.
Made this for the first chilly night in Los Angrkes! A big hit with the family and one of those recipes where all the ingredients are in the pantry! Delicious!
After one try, this recipe is now a staple in my repertoire. Ridiculously easy, bursting with flavour, it will forever change your mind about bland, artificially-sweet canned tomato soups. Do yourself a favour and try it – now.
I think I know the answer to this, but why does no one use the silicone pads in lieu of parchment paper
Hi Jane, I really like silicone pads and use them sometimes in my cooking. I don’t generally suggest them on my site as many people don’t have them :).
Great soup! Love home made soup and bread during winter, comfort food at its best!
Fab recipe. To make it gluten free you can add split lentils to thicken instead.
Excellent and easy recipe! This soup can be assembled the minute the tomato soup urge hits.
I once made this recipe by also adding a few cold, leftover Roma tomatoes that had been earlier halved and roasted until soft with some balsamic vinegar. Blitz it all together. That was a great way to use a few leftover tomatoes, too, for a lovely roasted tomato flavor.
Hi Jenn,
Here’s a little ‘cheat’ that I’ve recently begun to use.
I’ve made homemade chicken stock twice, but I’m really not into it.
I recently began caring for my elderly mom who has always enjoyed Mrs. Grass’ noodle soup. While making this soup for her I realized that the broth (with the little “golden flavor nugget”) tastes the same or better than boxed broths.
Now, when I make soup that calls for broth, I make the Mrs. Grass’. There are two boxes of soup per package, I use five cups of water instead of four per box (less salty) and it works perfectly.
For less then $2.00 you get 8-10 cups of broth and it’s less bulky and easy to keep on hand.
Made this for my husband, he’s in heaven. He loves Tomato soup and this one is winner!! Love all the recipies here, my favorite go to recipe site.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned/boxed ones? If yes, then how many lbs. of fresh tomatoes?
Hi Mindy, Yes but you’ll need to peel them. I would use about 3 pounds. Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
So I just want to start by saying I just underwent bariatric surgery, the gastric sleeve to be exact. For the first two weeks I need to pretty much drink nothing but soups, liquids etc and was getting bored with quick chicken broth from cubes. I also HATE tomato soup, but loved the one I had at the hospital so figured maybe I hated canned tomato soup as that’s all I have ever tasted. I of course came to this site to see if there was a soup I could modify a bit to fit my dietary needs.
I used all the ingredients except one but cut most of them in half to reduce the amount of sodium and acidity. I used three 14.5 oz. cans of petite cut tomatoes (no salt added) by Del Monte, I cut the salt in half but doubled the pepper. I also used just 2 tbsp of butter, 3 cups of yellow onions (my eyes were burning and i refused to chop anymore), 1/8 c of flour, 1 tbsp of sugar, added two cups of water to the broth and replaced thyme with basil because I didn’t have it.
I figured I removed just enough acidity and sodium so that it would be easy on my stomach without hindering the flavor.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! My 11 year old son insisted he did not like it but I served him a small bowl with a pinch of cheddar cheese and of course a grilled cheese sandwich He started by dipping his sandwich in the soup and later put the sandwich down. Needless to say he returned the bowl EMPTY.
Now I have enough to last me 2 days. Which is great as I was bored of plain chicken broth. I am excited to try another soup recipe I could modify a bit to fit my diet. (= Thanks again Jenn for another hit!!!!
I love all your recipes that I tried.
I want to make the Classic Tomato Soup.
Can I use FRESH tomatoes instead of boxed Pomi)?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Hi Renee, Yes that would be fine. Glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I heard about your blog in January when my mother in law was sent to the Pallative Care Ward. She couldn’t eat anything that wasn’t puréed and was losing her enjoyment of food due to lack of variety.
I made several of your soups for her, starting with this one. I reduced the sugar to 1 Tbsp by mistake and it was still fabulous. I left out the garnish but followed the directions otherwise.
I love that it’s not a cream of tomato soup so this has become my new go-to tomato soup. Delicious, healthier and more affordable than canned soups.
Thank you so much for posting all your recipes! 🙂 I tried the tomato soup & it was really delicious. I feel your site has been a God send as I am taking radiation treatment for cervix cancer & I lost my appetite, but thanks to your good soups I can enjoy some good meals every day.
Best Regards Darlene
Oh my gosh this soup is soooo good! I’m a skeptic but now reformed. This is the 3rd soup I’ve made and they’re ALL delicious. How many stars can I give this one?
My daughter made some fresh croutons with garlic infused olive oil and we enjoyed. Thank you.
My son needed a soup recipe for a cookery lesson at school so we browsed the selection here and settled on this recipe. Considering he’s a bit of a novice the soup turned out amazing. Took a bit of work trying to convert some of the measures into what we are more familiar with in the UK, but it all turned out lovely.
I made this soup tonight, and it is delicious! I skipped the flour altogether, and it turned out still smooth, creamy, and perfect. I also added just a splash of milk at the very end as a few other reviewers suggested! I also added oregano and basil while the soup was simmering. Thanks for an incredible, easy tomato soup recipe!
This recipe was really easy to make and was delicious. I served it with grilled cheese croutons which made it into a meal.
Just a note to say that ‘all natural’ does not qualify the healthiest food — Tomatoes are about the heaviest pesticide-sprayed of all Produce, so I buy only Organic Tomatoes, in all its forms — will skip the Pomi ‘all-natural’ brand.
According to La Cucina italiana magazine: “Pomi Tomatoes are grown in Italy without pesticides, herbicides and without the use of genetically modified seeds. Unlike many other canned tomatoes, Pomi is packaged without preservatives, added water, citric acid or any additives. Pomi has just one ingredient: tomatoes. Pomi contains no added salt. Pomi is 100% all natural and comes in a box (Tetra Pak) which makes it BPA-free.”
Love this soup. The only substitution I made was to use my own canned tomatoes.
Can’t wait to try this. The canned version just doesn’t work for me anymore but i do love grilled cheese and Tomato soup
I just made this Classic Tomato Soup today, along with grilled cheese sandwiches, and it is awesome! My son always wants tomato soup but I won’t buy the canned stuff due to the crazy high sodium content. Thank you for this recipe and also for introducing me to boxed tomatoes…there is a huge difference in flavor! I never thought about a “tinny” flavor before in canned tomatoes, but after having the boxed tomatoes I now notice a tinned flavor in the canned. This is a keeper recipe – yum!
ok…so i was in a big hurry and wanted to make this soup…totally misread the recipe…left out the flour…added only one onion…less butter/less oil…long story short, it was STILL delicious…i think if you need to make it gluten free, leaving out the flour is fine (i did it accidentally). am curious what the flour would have “done” to the soup? i also had some basil, so i threw that in at the beginning…used my immersion blender and it was nice and thick enough (no different consistency than a canned tomato soup)…added some cream at the end–just a touch, but added a bit more on the reheat the next day. i think it’s delicious. and it’s the third tomato soup recipe i’ve tried–best by far!
So glad it came out, Kim! The flour just thickens it a bit.
Another amazing soup! This is the second soup recipe I’ve made (I made the summer vege soup a couple of days ago) and it is sooooo good. I may become known as the soup lady in my home because I think I have to try another one of your fabulous soup recipes soon!
Love this soup. The only changes I make are using vegetable stock as we’re vegetarian and sometimes I use whole tomatoes that I roast in the oven and puree. Great soup for a dull winter day.
I am not a fan of soup, but this soup is awesome! I have made it several times and usually freeze half. With grilled cheese, it’s a great weeknight meal. Thanks so much for all the great recipes!
I add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the onions for just a little kick, perfect with grilled cheese
First time to make tomato soup from scratch and it was a hit.
I completely omitted the butter and the soup was fantastic. Was feeling adventurous and added hot sauce and a dash or two of Old Bay Seasoning. Used the Pomi tomatoes and loved them. Served with grilled sourdough and Swiss cheese with an olive relish.
During tomato season I make a tomato base mix that becomes tomato soup or a variety of sauces during the deep winter. That’s my shortcut for making wonderful tomato soup or pasta quickly.
Wonderful recipe. Some toast triangles topped with Gruyere would be perfect with this!
I added a tsp, or a few tsp’s, of dried basil to this soup too. It has replaced my previous go to tomato soup recipe.
Perfect for a cold, snowy night. Thank you
I really liked this soup though it is even better with a little bit of half and half in it. Thanks for all that you do!
This is GOOD soup. My wife and I made it the other day, and we both think it’s great. It’s not the easiest recipe in the world (for us, anyway), but it’s worth it.
At first we thought that 3 1/2 cups of onion might be too much, but we decided to try the recipe as is. It worked out fine. Try it, you’ll like it.
[…] It is so good with a crunchy piece of bruschetta or grilled cheese sandwich on a cold day. He forwarded me this recipe that he found on the fabulous Once Upon a Chef blog, and then a reminder, and then a nudge that it would probably be really good. It was. I made it over the weekend and wouldn’t change a thing. You can get the recipe here. […]
This looks incredible! I really appreciate the tidbits about using nonreactive pots and avoiding canned tomatoes.
This is very similar to a soup I make almost weekly – try adding some a few diced carrots when you soften the onions. It makes the soup sweeter. And I always add dried basil as well as a fresh garnish. Great recipe.
Comforting and delicious! I want to try this recipe at home!
Add a splash of milk or cream at the end – YUM!
Always love a great tomato soup recipe.
I love a pureed tomato soup and your recipe looks wonderful! Definitely a soup to warm up with after some sledding!
Ok so ever since I was a child when I got sick my mom would make me tomato soup (campbells canned) and either pp&j or grilled cheese. This recipe is worthy of breaking tradition – once i made this and 1. Saw how easy it was 2. Tasted how good it was 3. Husband approved – never going back to the can! Thank you for the recipe!
Been looking for a great ‘real’ homemade tomatoe soup! When the kids were little, it was ‘Ma-how about red soup & yellow sandwiches for supper’. Kids are grown and gone, but still talk about red soup & yellow sandwiches. May just have to have this for Sunday lunch with those grilled cheese! Plenty of snow here yet in Nebraska!
Ah wow this looks delicious! I wish we had snow as well :(.
I love the name of your blog! Does Whole Foods sell the Pomi tomatoes too?