This Tomato Soup recipe is the perfect simple soup to make with only 5 pantry ingredients! It’s creamy and smooth and it’s easy to make in under 30 minutes!
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
This creamy tomato soup is a delicious copycat recipe for everyone’s favourite canned tomato soup, but it tastes SO much better! It’s made with basic pantry ingredients like garlic, onion, tomato puree (pureed canned tomatoes work SO well in this recipe!) and some simple herbs and spices. In under 30 minutes you can be enjoying a big bowl of piping hot soup with some grilled cheese sandwiches for dipping! What could be better?!
- It’s SO EASY to MAKE: With only 5 ingredients, this soup is so simple to make and to have on your dinner table in 30 minutes!
- It’s the perfect COMFORT FOOD: A grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect side to this creamy tomato soup and together they make the best comfort food meal. If you love canned tomato soup and grilled cheese, this is the recipe for you!
- It can be MADE AHEAD: There’s nothing like the feeling of having a healthy meal all ready for you when you get home after a long day. This is an easy meal prep recipe that’s simple to reheat and lasts in the fridge for days. It’s even freezer friendly!
- It’s the perfect WEEKNIGHT MEAL: After a long, hard day nobody likes to cook a gourmet meal. Throw this soup together with some wraps or sandwiches and you’ve got a super simple dinner that’s ready in minutes.
Follow these tips and tricks to make the BEST creamy tomato soup!
Garlic and onions are the base for SO many recipes and this one is no exception. Mince your garlic and onion finely and sauté for several minutes until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant. These ingredients add tons of flavour.
Use good quality beef or chicken broth to add depth and flavour to your soup.
Canned tomato puree minus the seeds and skin is a great way to add authentic tomato flavour to your homemade tomato soup without much effort all! Use whatever brand is your favourite.
Adding some dried basil to this homemade tomato soup makes it extra delicious and adds so much flavour!
How you make this soup creamy is up to you! We like to use a can of full fat coconut milk to make it dairy-free, but you can use heavy cream, half and half, whole milk, or any other dairy-free milk you like!
Stir in the cream or dairy substitute at the end of cooking to prevent it from curdling. Avoid boiling the soup after it’s added. Start with a small amount and adjust it to your tastes.
If you are having trouble with this tomato soup recipe, follow the solutions we recommend below.
The soup needs enough time to cook and simmer for the flavours to meld together. This homemade tomato soup can also lack flavour if not enough seasoning is added. Another option to guarantee flavour is to sauté the onions and garlic well before adding the tomatoes. This step adds a robust base flavour to the soup.
Blending hot soup can be messy and a bit dangerous since it’s so hot. The best option for an ultra smooth and creamy tomato soup is to use a high-powered blender instead of a hand-blender. Allow the soup to cool slightly and blend in batches if necessary. When you use an hand or immersion blender in the pot, it is possible that chunks get left behind making the soup not as smooth as you’d like.
While cream adds a luscious texture, using too much can dilute the natural tomato flavour. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste. For a healthier option, use half-and-half or a dairy-free alternative.
You will need these kitchen items to make this tomato soup recipe (paid links):
- Large Pot
- mixing bowls
- wooden spoon
- liquid measuring cups
- Immersion Blender or High Powered Blender
- Cutting Board
- large knife
- Garlic Press
- Soup Ladle
You will need these ingredients to make the best tomato soup recipe (paid links):
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup white wine optional, leave it out if desired.
- 500 grams tomato puree approximately 17 ounces canned tomato puree
- 5 cups chicken or beef stock use vegetable stock to make this soup vegan or vegetarian
- 2/3 cup half and half cream substitute heavy cream for more richness, whole milk for a lower fat version, OR dairy-free milk, or one 14-ounce can of coconut milk to make it vegan
Try one of these delicious variations on this creamy tomato soup recipe!
- Roasted tomato – Roast fresh tomatoes with garlic and onion before adding it to the soup. Top with fresh basil leaves. Try our Roasted Tomato Soup – it’s delicious!
- Extra Vegetables – Sauté carrots, celery, whole tomatoes, or other veggies of your choice with the onion and garlic for a more hearty soup.
- Spicy – Use red pepper flakes, cumin, and paprika for some added spice and flavour.
- Homemade Croutons– Make you own batch of croutons using our recipe and add them as a garnish to your soup.
Time needed: 30 minutes
Follow these steps to make the best tomato soup recipe!
- Heat up the pot.
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
- Sauté the onions and garlic.
Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add in the spices.
Add the basil, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour in the wine.
Add the wine (if using) and let the wine reduce almost completely.
- Stir in tomato puree.
Add the tomato puree and stir well to combine. Continue cooking the mixture over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until the tomato darkens in colour slightly (this will help remove some of the sharpness and intense acidity from the tomato flavour).
- Pour in the broth.
Add the chicken or beef stock (I like to use beef stock in this recipe for richness, but chicken or vegetable stock work well too) and stir to combine.
- Cook over medium-low heat.
Cook well over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- Reduce to simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and add the cream.
- Blend until creamy.
Stir to combine. Puree with a blender until creamy and smooth, then serve.
Can I make this soup vegan?
Yes, you can use vegetable stock or broth and make it creamy with a can of coconut milk or other dairy-free milk.
How can I make this soup vegetarian?
Yes, use vegetable stock or broth instead of beef or chicken stock.
Can I make this recipe low fat?
Yes, you can use whole milk or half and half cream instead of heavy cream.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
This recipe is great for meal prep and can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Reheat well before serving in a pot or in the microwave.
Can I freeze the tomato soup?
This recipe freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
We hope you love this homemade tomato soup recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy soup to make with pantry ingredients? We’d love to know!
Looking for more delicious recipes like this? Try these!
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Crock Pot French Onion Soup With White Beans
- Roasted Vegetable Soup
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
- Rustic Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Instant Pot Creamy Zucchini Soup
- Comforting Winter Soups
- Best Beef Stew
- Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili (Slow Cooker)
Watch the video below to see exactly how we make this easy soup recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on our YouTube channel.
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Easy Tomato Soup
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup white wine optional, leave it out if desired.
- 500 grams tomato puree approximately 17 ounces canned tomato puree
- 5 cups chicken or beef stock use vegetable stock to make this soup vegan or vegetarian
- 2/3 cup half and half cream substitute heavy cream for more richness, whole milk for a lower fat version, OR dairy-free milk, or one 14-ounce can of coconut milk to make it vegan
Recipe: Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
- Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the basil, salt, and pepper.
- Add the wine (if using) and let the wine reduce almost completely.
- Add the tomato puree and stir well to combine. Continue cooking the mixture over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until the tomato darkens in colour slightly (this will help remove some of the sharpness and intense acidity from the tomato flavour).
- Add the chicken or beef stock (I like to use beef stock in this recipe for richness, but chicken or vegetable stock work well too) and stir to combine.
- Cook well over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cream. Stir to combine, then puree in a blender (or with a hand blender) until creamy and smooth, then serve.
Recipe: Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
To make this recipe vegetarian use vegetable stock. To make this recipe vegan use vegetable stock and make it creamy with a can of coconut milk or other dairy-free milk. To make this recipe low-fat: use whole milk or half and half cream instead of heavy cream.Storage Instructions
This recipe is great for meal prep and can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Reheat well before serving.Freezer Instructions
This recipe freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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Homemade tomato soup is one of my all time favorite lunches… I must must must make this. It looks deliciously amazing!
WHO KNEW that tomato soup would make me salivate like this?!?! OMG….. LOL. I know what I will be making next week! 😉
I love that this tomato soup looks so substantial and hearty! You are making me crave soup at breakfast time! 🙂
I made this for my family and they loved it! Even the kids enjoyed this soup so much, it was great to serve this because it’s not just very tasty but it’s also healthy at the same time. I recommend this recipe, go ahead and try it!
Delicious. This is a 28 ounce can of course in the US. ☺
Thanks Carolyn!
Wow! Just WOW! First off, I must share the most important point is that tomato/tomato soup is not my favourite food to consume. It won’t be the first item I’d order off any menu. In fact, I’d turn a blind eye to it and an easy pass if it was on offer. Probably because I have a strong dislike for tomatoes and all I’ve ever tried was tinned tomato soup – which has a metallic taste and canned tomatoes – can be very acidic to my palate. My family on the other hand, loves tomato soup! As my love for them is limitless, I decided to whip this tomato soup recipe of yours. Now, bear in mind that I don’t have lots of herbs on hand. All I had at home was passata , garlic, onion, chicken broth and cream but boy did it come out delicious! It was creamy and very tasty! I’m glad I found your recipe because I’m now in love with tomato soup. My family and I delightfully inhaled our soup with baguette. There is some leftover and we’re already fighting over who gets to have it as there are only 2 servings. Thank you thank you thank you.
Thank you for your comment Aisah! I am so happy to hear we managed to change your view on tomato soup and that you and your family enjoyed our recipe. We hope you’ll experiment with more of our recipes! Happy cooking ☺️