This homemade tomato soup recipe is rich, flavorful, and easy to make with basic ingredients. Just add a grilled cheese for a delicious, comforting meal!
Jump to Recipe
This homemade tomato soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and flavorful. It’s made with simple ingredients like diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, and carrots, and it comes together in under an hour.
Easy and delicious, this soup is one of my favorite meals for a chilly night, and it just so happens to be fully kid-approved. Try it the next time you’re in the mood for something quick and cozy. Paired with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, it’s guaranteed to hit the spot!
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Soup Recipe
- It’s easy to make with basic ingredients. This tomato soup recipe calls for canned tomatoes and other pantry staples. I love that I can make it without a trip to the store!
- It has a perfectly balanced flavor. Because this recipe calls for canned tomatoes, it’s delicious even when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season. The tangy tomatoes play off sweet carrots and balsamic vinegar, and heavy cream adds richness to round it all out. (Find a dairy-free option below!)
- You can make it ahead. It keeps well in the fridge for several days and freezes well too. I love keeping a stash in the freezer for a quick and easy dinner!
Tomato Soup Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this tomato soup recipe:
- Canned tomatoes – Diced tomatoes are my go-to for this soup because I like to blend some and leave the rest whole for texture. Whole peeled tomatoes work too, but you’ll need to crush them with your hands before using them.
- Olive oil and butter – They create the soup’s rich base. To make this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use additional olive oil instead of the butter.
- Onion and garlic – For savory depth of flavor.
- Carrots and balsamic vinegar – If you ask me, the secret to making the best tomato soup is adding something sweet to balance the acidic tomatoes. The carrots and balsamic vinegar do that in this recipe.
- Vegetable broth or water – I’ve had great results using both! I just find the soup needs an extra pinch of salt when I make it with water.
- Heavy cream – It perfects the soup’s creamy texture and adds rich flavor. To make this soup dairy-free, use full-fat coconut milk instead. I promise, you can’t taste it!
- Dried thyme – For warm, earthy flavor. Feel free to substitute fresh thyme if you have it on hand. I like to bundle 3 sprigs and simmer them in the soup, then remove the bundle before blending.
- Red pepper flakes – For heat.
- Fresh basil leaves – I love sprinkling a few leaves over my bowl for a fresh finishing touch.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup
Canned tomatoes and fresh tomatoes both work well in soup, but I don’t use them interchangeably.
- This recipe is best with canned tomatoes. They make it quick and easy to prepare because they have a concentrated sweet and tangy flavor straight out of the can.
- For a fabulous fresh tomato soup, check out my tomato basil soup instead! In that recipe, I roast the tomatoes first to concentrate their flavor.
Tip: In late fall, winter, and spring, I recommend sticking with canned tomatoes. They actually have a better flavor when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season!
How to Make Tomato Soup
This homemade tomato soup recipe is so simple to make! Here’s how it goes:
First, sauté the veggies. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook until the veggies soften, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar.
Next, add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Then, blend part of the soup to create its creamy texture. Scoop 4 cups of the soup out of the pot and set aside. Transfer the remaining soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. If you like, you could use an immersion blender for this step, though I prefer the smoother texture I get when I use my regular blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, along with the 4 cups of chunky soup. Stir to combine.
Finally, season to taste and serve. That’s it!
What to Serve with Tomato Soup
This easy tomato soup recipe pairs perfectly with crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich for dipping.
I also love it with toppings like these:
- Basil leaves – For fresh flavor.
- Homemade croutons – For crunchy contrast.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese – For a salty, nutty pop.
- A drizzle of olive oil or heavy cream – For extra richness.
How do you like to serve tomato soup? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store and Freeze
To store: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze: This soup also freezes well. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then seal it in airtight containers, leaving an inch of space for it to expand at the top. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Warm in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this creamy tomato soup recipe, try one of these homemade soups next:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or an additional 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, and their juices
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1⅓ cups heavy cream, plus more for drizzling*
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the vinegar, then add the tomatoes, water, cream, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
- Scoop 4 cups of the soup out of the pot and set aside. Transfer the remaining soup to a blender. Puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot with the reserved 4 cups of chunky soup. Stir to combine and season to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of cream, a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil leaves for garnish.
The most delicious tomato soup recipe ever! I think the carrots and balsamic vinegar help to bring out the tomato flavor. So good, especially with a grilled cheese!
Hi Christine, I’m so glad you loved it!
I’ve never made tomato soup, it’s just always been one of those items I’ve purchased packaged. Well, after making this recipe, I am a convert. So easy and much tastier than any store bought tomato soup. Highly recommend with a fancy grilled cheese–I like mine with fig jam.
Oh yum, I love a grilled cheese with fig jam. I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!
Our whole family loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
This was a phenomenal tomato soup recipe! I reduced the amount of cream in half and increased the amount of vegetable broth in order to make the recipe a little lighter, and it was DELICIOUS. I found that the soup was rich, well-balanced, and perfect for the winter season.
I also love that soups freeze well, so I went ahead and froze 2 portions so that I can enjoy this recipe later too!
Best tomato soup ever! I’m not usually a big fan of soup, but this recipe is amazing! Easy and delicious, and your whole house will smell amazing while you cook it. I definitely recommend pairing it with the grilled cheese recipe one night this winter!
This soup is so delicious and so easy to make!
This soup is easy to make and delicious!
Very easy and yummy! We fully blended the soup.
Love this recipe! It came together so quickly and tasted so good. I used fresh tomatoes since they’re in season now, and snuck in a bit of eggplant and red pepper, all fresh ingredients from my local farmer’s market. I didn’t have coconut milk so I subbed in cashew cream which was a great pairing. Also added some homegrown sissoo spinach. This recipe is a hit!
This recipe was DELICIOUS. Super flavorful and comforting – and very easy to whip up.
So yummy! Delicious way to get lots of veggies!
So glad you loved it!
This was so delicious! I will definitely be making it again!
So glad you loved it!
This recipe had a wonderful medley of flavors! The soup had such a great balance of texture and the acidity of the balsamic vinegar really complimented the whole dish!
Added a grilled cheese and *chef kiss*.
Definitely will make again!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This was a hit. I love the use of coconut milk and for fun I topped it off with hemp seeds and fresh italian flat leaf parsley since I didn’t have any basil!
So glad you loved it!
10/10 so easy and delicious!!!
I’m so glad you loved the soup!
Delicious recipe! The grilled cheese on the side made it even better. Perfect for eating by the fireplace on a cold day.
Hi Rachael, so glad you loved it!
Perfect winter dinner. I am so pleased you chose a pantry type meal for this month’s cooking club. Living in Ontario’s rural cottage country, winter conditions can make it challenging to get fresh ingredients.
I’m so glad you loved the soup! We love pantry recipes in the winter too. 🙂
I have recently started making recipes from this blog, and I’ve been so impressed by the recipes I’ve made so far. This tomato soup was the best I’ve ever had! I paired it with your grilled cheese recipe which was also a winner. Thank you!
Forgot to rate this recipe. Definitely 5 stars!!
Hi Anna, I’m so glad you’re loving the recipes!
I took the challenge of using coconut milk and it was perfect. Thanks for your assurance that it wouldn’t have a coconut taste! I added a bit of sugar after tasting the finished soup as it was a little too sour for my taste. Maybe it was the brand of diced tomatoes I used.
Hi Susan, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! It’s kind of unbelievable how the coconut flavor disappears, isn’t it?
Hello!
It was a delicious recipe. Like pizza in a bowl!
Thank you.
I’m so glad you loved it!