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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Ok to used crushed tomatoes instead? That’s what I have in pantry now…
Sure, Carolyn, that should be fine. Enjoy!
Jenn, i recently had tomato soup with ginger in a restaurant. It was a surprisingly wonderful combination. How might I adapt this recipe to incorporate ginger? I’m ready to experiment and I thought since your recipes are fantastic, you’d be the one to ask. Thanks!
Hi Barbara, I’d use about 1 tablespoon of minced ginger and cook it with the onions. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Jenn,, I did one pot with ginger and one without so I could compare. Both were delicious. The ginger added a nice kick. My husband preferred your classic. With grilled sharp cheddar on salted ciabatta it was a great meal for a cold, dreary night.
Sounds like a delicious meal (with or without the ginger) – thanks for reporting back!
I’m out of yellow onions. Can I substitute with red onions?
Red onions will work here. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this yesterday after a chilly day of yard work. I used five cloves of garlic. So good!!!!
Hey, Jenn. This is funny, but I bet this has happened to you. I got it in my mind to make my fav tomato soup recipe from Fine Cooking. After looking online for it with no go (not realizing they had gone under) I bloody looked through all of the issues (going way back to early 00s.) with no luck. Thankfully I came across your reference to it in your adaption. So, is your adaption pretty close to the original? It does ring a bell. If you happen to know the date of the Fine Cooking you got this recipe from, I’d really appreciate it. Meanwhile, I’m going to try your recipe. Many thanks.
Hi Julie, I wish I could help but I don’t know what issue that recipe came from. I do believe that my recipe is fairly close to the original though I don’t know exactly what tweaks I made. Hope you enjoy this version if you make it!
Hi, Julie. The recipe is from issue 91 of Fine Cooking. Sorry, I don’t know the date. FYI, there is a Fine Cooking Community group on Facebook and through that you can get access to nearly all the past issues.
Easy to make and very good. More than the sum of its parts. Used Costco San Marzano canned tomatoes which were perfect for this recipe.
Hello Jen,
With the abundance of fresh tomatoes from the local farmers markets can you use fresh tomatoes this for this recipe? If so what type of tomatoes or adjustments would you make.
Love all of your recipes & how you include pictures for every step. It’s helpful for 1st time recipes.
Hi Catherine, You can use fresh tomatoes here without any adjustments. And I’d stick with your standard varieties (tomatoes om the vine, roma, beefsteak, etc.). Hope you enjoy (and so glad you like the recipes)!
Made this for the first time. Need a little comfort food once in awhile. Simple to make not many ingredients. Doesn’t have that heavy acidity taste like most tomato dishes. Highly recommended.
Made this for the first time. Need a little comfort food… what an awesome dish.
We have made this recipe around 4-5 times. It is delicious and not complicated to make. It is ready in one hour and is so perfect for a nice lunch or dinner. Especially nice on a day when a little extra TLC or comfort is needed. Thank you Jenn for a wonderful recipe! We appreciate it very much!
Oh my God! This soup is amazing! I tried tomato soup at an Italian restaurant I worked at and always wanted to try and make it myself. Unfortunately the recipe the cook gave me was very vague and I never tried to make it. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe!