Easy Tomato Soup

This Classic Tomato Soup is rich with a velvety texture. It’s easy to make with canned tomatoes, and perfectly suited for all of your grilled cheese dipping needs. Better than a can of Campbell’s and just about as easy!

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are best when the air turns crisp, the mornings are damp, and the days are short. The soup’s simplicity only accentuates its role as a tincture on a cold fall evening. Its velvety texture is a robe of warmth.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TOMATO SOUP

Whether you’ve canned your own tomatoes or bought them at the store, this soup comes together in about 20 minutes using pantry staples—canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and of course, butter.

Dice an onion; add a little garlic, and let it simmer! I use an immersion blender to puree it, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. You can also use a countertop blender, or don’t bother blending it at all.

This recipe is as easy as dumping soup from a can, but makes more servings and tastes much better.

WAYS TO ADAPT THIS SOUP

  1. To make creamy tomato soup, just add heavy cream.
  2. If you want it creamy but without the cream, puree some canned cannellini beans and add them in (like we do in this recipe for Creamy Tomato and White Bean Soup).
  3. Simmer the soup with a couple sprigs of thyme.
  4. Stir in sliced fresh basil just before serving.
  5. Want to be dairy-free? Replace the butter with olive oil.
  6. Add some cooked cheese tortellini.
  7. Want more texture? Don’t bother blending.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOMATO SOUP?

Tomato soup is to grilled cheese what peanut butter is to jelly, but you don’t have to stop there.

  1. Make homemade croutons.
  2. You can always go the oyster cracker route.
  3. A simple Caesar salad would do the trick.
  4. My grandmother used to make tomato soup and serve it to me with cottage cheese and dried minced onions. I eat it this way to this day.
  5. Add cheese tortellini to the soup to make it more of a meal.
  6. Serve it with a white fish such as cod or tilapia.

CAN YOU FREEZE TOMATO SOUP?

Absolutely! Tomato soup is the perfect recipe to make ahead and save for a busy weeknight meal down the road. You could also give it to friend who is recovering from an illness, just had a baby, or is feeling a little overwhelmed and could use a home cooked meal! Make a double batch, freeze half, and have it ready when you (or someone you love) needs it!

Keep it in any freezer-safe container. Make sure you leave enough space (about an inch) for the soup to expand as it freezes. It should keep for up to six months.

NEED MORE SOUP?

Easy Tomato Soup Recipe

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1-cup servings

This soup uses flour to help thicken it a bit. If you are gluten-free, skip the flour, and instead mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir it into the soup when you bring it to a boil, and let it simmer.

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, yellow or white, diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 4 cups (32 oz) low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1 Sauté the onions and garlic: In a Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the butter. Once it starts to foam, add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until both have softened and are fragrant, about 7 minutes.

2 Make the roux: Add flour. Stir to make a paste. Continue stirring until the flour has taken on a light brown color. Stir and scrape with wooden spoon, 5-7 minutes. The onion paste should look golden with a little brown caramelization.

3 Add tomatoes and stock: Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.

4 Purée and serve: Purée the soup with an immersion blender. Alternatively, fill a countertop blender less than halfway with the hot soup. Remove the center lid insert. This allows the hot steam to escape. Cover the hole with a folded kitchen towel and place your hand over the top. Blend. Repeat as necessary until all of the soup has been puréed.

Ladle into bowls, topped with freshly cracked pepper, slivered basil, and of course, grilled cheese sandwiches.