Our Best Tomato Soup Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

4

Yield:

4 1/2 cups

Quick, easy, and absolutely delicious, this is our best tomato soup recipe. It has a smooth, creamy texture but is made without any cream or milk. The secret is a butter-and-flour roux that thickens the soup, pulling together the canned tomatoes and their juices with chicken broth, onions, and garlic. (To make it vegetarian, simply swap in vegetable broth; you can even replace the butter with a plant-based option for a vegan-friendly soup that's still wonderfully rich and luscious.)

Take it up a notch by serving each bowl topped with fresh basil leaves, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Even better, pair it with the Test Kitchen's Favorite Grilled Cheese for the ultimate comforting meal.

A bowl of tomato soup garnished with basil served with a grilled cheese sandwich on a plate — Jacob Fox

Equipment Needs

You'll only need a couple pieces of kitchen equipment to make this simple soup, including:

Saucepan: Reach for a large saucepan, medium pot, or 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. Since tomatoes are acidic, we recommend using a vessel made from a non-reactive material like stainless steel or one coated in enamel.

Blender: To puree the soup, you can use either a traditional or immersion blender. If using a traditional blender, be sure to fill the pitcher no more than halfway to prevent dangerous steam build-up.

Roux

A roux gives this soup its rich, thick texture. Made with flour and fat (typically butter), a roux is a cooked paste that blends seamlessly into liquids to bind and thicken soups, stews, sauces, and more. Combining and cooking the flour and fat first is crucial for two reasons: It removes the raw taste of the flour and coats the starch molecules with fat, which keeps them from clumping later on.

The Best Tomatoes for This Recipe

Good quality whole-peeled tomatoes will result in the best tasting soup. Our favorite tomatoes are true San Marzanos, which are grown in the volcanic soil of the San Marzano region in Italy. Simultaneously sweet and savory with just the right amount of acid, these tomatoes make for the most delicious sauces and soups, though they can carry a hefty price tag. Domestically grown San Marzano tomatoes offer some of the same flavor as their Italian counterparts, but since they're not regulated in the same way, their quality varies.

When shopping for whole-peeled tomatoes, check the ingredient list and choose an option that contains just tomatoes and salt; some brands add citric acid and/or calcium chloride to preserve color and firmness, which can impact their taste and texture.

Directions

Ingredients arranged for making tomato soup including tomatoes onions broth butter oil flour spices and basil — Jacob Fox

Cook onion and garlic:

Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high. When butter melts, add onion, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Jacob Fox
Add flour, then tomatoes, juice, broth and basil sprigs and simmer:

Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and juice, broth, and basil sprigs. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tomatoes are very soft and breaking down, about 20 minutes. Discard basil sprigs and let cool slightly.

Jacob Fox

Jacob Fox

Jacob Fox
Puree soup then warm it and serve:

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth; return to saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, rewarm over medium-low heat, divide among bowls, and top with basil leaves, a drizzle of oil, and more black pepper.

Jacob Fox

Jacob Fox

Storing Homemade Tomato Soup

This tomato soup can be cooled to room temperature, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What to Serve With Creamy Tomato Soup

On top: We love finishing bowls of this soup with sliced basil, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and some freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, try sprinkling the top with freshly grated cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan cheese, or drop in a couple of garlicky croutons.

On the side: There's perhaps no better pairing for tomato soup than a melty grilled cheese sandwich. Our Test Kitchen's favorite recipe contains both American and cheddar and employs butter and mayonnaise for the crispiest, most golden exterior. A side salad would also make a delicious accompaniment to this soup; try our kale-and-farro recipe for something hearty and filling, or keep it simple with this Boston lettuce salad with Parmesan.

5 More Comforting Soup Recipes to Try

Updated by

Esther Reynolds

Our Test Kitchen's Favorite Tomato Soup

Equipment Needs

Roux

The Best Tomatoes for This Recipe

Directions

Cook onion and garlic:

Add flour, then tomatoes, juice, broth and basil sprigs and simmer:

Puree soup then warm it and serve:

Storing Homemade Tomato Soup

What to Serve With Creamy Tomato Soup

5 More Comforting Soup Recipes to Try

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