This Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe is a classic and easy recipe, which is made with canned whole peeled tomatoes and heavy cream. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 30 minutes.
Creamy Tomato Soup Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic (optional, use 2 cloves for a stronger flavor)
- 2 14-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 ½ cups Basic Chicken Stock, or water
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
How To Make Creamy Tomato Soup
- Sauté the Aromatics: Melt the butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Simmer the Soup: Add the tomatoes with their juices and the chicken stock to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Blend Until Smooth: Working in batches, carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. If using a blender, be sure to cover the lid with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape safely.
- Finish with Cream: Return the puréed soup to a clean pot over low heat. If using, slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the smoothest soup? For an ultra-silky texture, after blending, you can pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining seeds or pulp.
- How to prevent the cream from curdling? Tomatoes are acidic and can cause cream to curdle if the temperature changes too quickly. To prevent this, make sure the soup is over a very low heat (or even off the heat) and slowly whisk in the cream.
- Can I use fresh tomatoes? You can, but high-quality canned whole tomatoes (like San Marzano) often provide a more consistent, rich flavor, especially when fresh tomatoes are not in season.
- How to make it richer? For an even more decadent soup, you can use all heavy cream instead of a mix of stock and cream, or simmer a Parmesan cheese rind in the soup (removing it before blending) for a savory, umami depth.
What To Serve With Creamy Tomato Soup
This is the quintessential soup for pairing with classic comfort foods. It’s perfect with:
- A gooey, classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich for dipping
- Toasted crusty bread or homemade garlic croutons
- A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette
- Goldfish crackers sprinkled on top
How To Store Creamy Tomato Soup
- Refrigerate: Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: This soup freezes very well. For the best texture, it’s recommended to freeze it before adding the cream. Let the soup base cool completely and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove, stirring in the cream at the end.
Creamy Tomato Soup Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 150-200 kcal
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Protein: 3g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes. To make this vegan, use olive oil instead of butter and substitute the heavy cream with an equal amount of full-fat coconut milk or a homemade cashew cream.
Traditionally, a bisque is a French soup made with cream and shellfish stock. In modern cooking, “tomato bisque” usually just means a tomato soup that is extra creamy, often finished with heavy cream, like this recipe.
This soup is naturally thickened by the pureed vegetables. If you’d like it even thicker, you can simply let it simmer for a bit longer to allow more liquid to evaporate and reduce.
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Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe
Description
A classic, velvety-smooth tomato soup made from simple pantry staples, finished with a touch of cream for a rich and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Melt butter in a stockpot and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the tomatoes, their juices, and the stock. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Carefully blend the soup in batches until completely smooth.
- Return the soup to the pot over low heat.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, if using.
- Taste and adjust seasonings before serving hot.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use high-quality canned whole tomatoes, such as San Marzano.
- Be careful when blending hot liquids; cover the blender lid with a towel to allow steam to escape.
- Adding the cream at the end, off the heat or over very low heat, is key to preventing it from curdling.
- This soup is the perfect partner for a classic grilled cheese sandwich.