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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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!