Tomato Soup
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A pot of homemade tomato soup is always a good idea—especially when there’s a grilled cheese sandwich waiting on the side.
This tomato soup recipe is my go-to during the chilly fall and winter months when fresh tomatoes are out of season. It comes together with canned tomatoes and pantry staples, but the finished soup tastes far fresher than you’d expect. Instead of relying on cream, the tomatoes are blended until silky on their own. One little trick I always use is adding a pinch of sugar. It might seem unconventional, but it helps balance the tomatoes’ natural acidity.
For serving, garnish the soup with store-bought or homemade croutons, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you’re in the mood for something heartier, pair it with stromboli or grilled cheese—or for a fun twist, try grilled cheese croutons!
For more classic Italian soups, be sure to try my minestrone, pasta fagioli and zuppa Toscana—all hearty favorites.
“This was a great recipe…enough like the tomato soup of my childhood to be comforting, but MUCH better and fresher!”
What You’ll Need To Make Tomato Soup
To make the tomato soup, you’ll need olive oil, unsalted butter, onions, garlic, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, canned whole peeled tomatoes, sugar, dried thyme, and fresh basil.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook a few minutes more, being careful not to let it brown.
Step 2: Add the flour. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove the raw taste and prevent lumps.
Step 3: Simmer the soup. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to loosen any flour from the bottom or sides of the pot. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Purée. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, let the soup cool slightly, then purée in batches with the lid vented. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
Pro Tip: If you prefer more texture in your soup, feel free to either skip this step or only partially purée it.
Step 5: Finish with butter. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter for added richness and flavor.
Step 6: Garnish and serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
More Comforting Soups You’ll Love
Classic Tomato Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 3½ cups)
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 (28-oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Serving (Optional)
- Fresh chopped basil
- Croutons
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- In a large nonreactive pot (see note), heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the 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, 1¼ teaspoons salt and ½ 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 40 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 3 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.)
Notes
- A nonreactive pot is made of a material that will not react negatively 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.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also 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
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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This soup is so simple to make and tastes so good. I always have the ingredients on hand ; so when unexpected guests arrive around lunchtime I will often make a batch along with a grilled cheese. The recipe is perfect as is – no need to change a thing.
I love this soup and have made it several times! I used to make the Panera soup, but this one is tons better! Serve with toasted asiago bread.
If you don’t normally get excited about tomato soup, then try this recipe! I’m not a big tomato fan, but this soup has converted me. It’s a go-to staple in our household for cold winter nights now. Flavourful and filling without feeling heavy.
Hello Jenn @onceuponachef. I have been struggling to find the ‘right’ recipe for tomato soup and was so excited when you posted your recipe. I just made this soup for the family this week. I had canned diced tomatoes on hand and used those. I love getting comments from my family after I try something new. I got “it’s a bit thin”; “it’s a bit grainy”. I cooked it longer than you suggested for canned tomatoes, but was wondering if I should cook it longer for a thicker soup; maybe add paste; maybe strain the tomatoes before adding? Also, I used my immersion blender to get it very creamy, but it still had a ‘grainy’ taste, and the color was more orange than the red in your pictures. Is that possibly because I use ‘bad’ canned tomatoes? Should I search out the boxed tomatoes you suggested? The general consensus was that the soup was REALLY GOOD, but I am really hard on myself and would love to improve! I did add some white pepper to kick it up a notch, and stirred in some locatelli cheese to give it a more ‘creamy’ taste…both great additions for my family! Thanks again for sharing your recipe!
Hi Vincent, sorry to hear that you found this to be a bit grainy and thin. You can thicken it up by using less broth (I’d go with 4 to 5 cups.) And while an immersion blender is very convenient, sometimes it doesn’t get all of those small bits. If you want it to be completely smooth, I’d use a traditional blender. Just remember to remove the center knob in the lid of the blender to let heat escape while you blend it. Hope that helps!
The recipe makes a lot of luscious tasting tomatoey goodness due to the addition of butter,used two 28 oz. cans of organic dice b/c they were already in my pantry then cooked 10 mins. longer as per recipe and served with sour dough grilled cheese sandwiches.So much better than opening a can! Thanks Jenn.
I made this last night! It was fabulous. Classic tomato soup and I made Jenn’s grilled cheese and pesto with gruyere as open faced sandwiches to go with it. An easy lovely wintery dinner after a long days work. And we had plenty to freeze afterwards. The bonus is that since there isn’t any dairy , it freezes beautifully! I have made so many of your recipes now, that I will try a brand new recipe with company because I know it will turn out well and be delicious! Thank you so much.
The only soup I ever buy in a can is tomato soup and I won’t be buying it anymore. Loved this recipe! I didn’t have canned tomatoes ( I can’t find boxed ones) on hand but did have glass bottles of strained tomatoes (660 ml bottles) . I used 2 and 1/3 bottles and it turned out wonderfully. I’ve stocked up on some more strained tomatoes so I can make this again.
I really never liked tomato soup but this is a winner! Definitely easy to switch out the all purpose flour to gluten free. Of course, made the Grilled cheese with sun dried tomato pesto to accompany it!
I made this for visiting siblings recently to rave reviews. They both are soup-masters so their comments were greatly appreciated. Be sure to blend the tomatoes completely to meld the onions fully into the tomato flavors. I added little meatballs because my brother in law says soup without meatballs isn’t soup! (Except chicken and pea soup!). It may seem like a lot of onions but it all blends together.
The best tomato soup I’ve ever had! The depth of flavor is astounding with a satisfying consistency. Close your eyes and you’ll know you’re eating tomato soup. I used canned San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes and when I puréed the soup I left some very small bits of tomato to give the velvety soup some texture. It freezes very well too. AND it’s super easy. Once Upon a Chef recipes never disappoint!