Creamy Tomato Soup
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With the perfect balance of exquisite flavors and a luxuriously creamy texture, this Creamy Tomato Soup recipe is irresistibly delicious and will become a regular favorite!
Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup
I’ve been enjoying a wonderful harvest from my garden throughout the summer and of course few things taste as fantastic as a homegrown vine-ripened tomato. I’ve been busy making salsa, fresh tomato sauce to serve over pasta and this delicious creamy tomato soup recipe. My family loves this soup and they’ve already requested it three times in the last two weeks. We’re confident you’re going to love it as much as we do!
How Do I Get a Perfectly Smooth and Creamy Texture?
Many cream of tomato soups are too thin and watery. What we’re after is a creamy texture with “body” that leaves a generous coating on the back of the spoon.
The two primary keys for achieving that is to use heavy cream and to use a blender. Milk is thin and it will curdle and we want both body and smoothness. For some creamy soups I’ll use a blender stick to blend the soup right inside the pot. But in this case use an actual blender. I find that’s really key for getting a smoother, creamy and thicker consistency. A blender stick will not achieve the same results. I use my Vitamix and turn it on high for a good 15-20 seconds.
Which Herbs Should I Use For Seasoning?
I like to switch things up occasionally. If you’re going for a more Italian flavor, use basil. If you’d like more of a French flavor, use thyme. Rosemary is another fabulous flavor in this soup. Or go with some fresh oregano or dill. Another great option for a spicier soup is a generous dose of freshly ground or cracked peppercorns. Try a variety of herbs/spices and see what you like best.
Tips for Achieving the Best Tomato Soup Flavor
Homemade cream of tomato soup can often be a little, well, bland. The results depend a greatly on the quality of the tomatoes. Most of us don’t have access to fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes from the sun-kissed gardens of southern Italy and even if you do, your creamy tomato soup will benefit tremendously from a few flavor boosts we’re going to add to this soup.
While tomatoes are technically a fruit, used in soups and sauces most tomatoes benefit from an additional touch of sweetness to bring out their flavor. We don’t want it “too” sweet as some recipes have the tendency to be, but just enough to coax out those wonderful flavors. We’re going to add a touch of brown sugar and also pair the tomatoes with the freshest, sweetest carrots we can find.
Following the proper method of sauteing the onions, carrots and tomatoes before adding the broth also coaxes the natural sugars out of the each of the vegetables for a richer flavor, so don’t skip that step. For an extra boost of tomato flavor we’re also adding some concentrated tomato paste.
The flavor of this soup is directly dependent on the quality of the produce you use, so use the very best tomatoes and carrots you can find, if possible ones from the farmer’s market that are grown locally in real soil under real sunshine.
I’m partial to fresh tomatoes for making this soup and grow my my own. (Below are pics of the tomatoes and carrots I harvested from my garden. Aren’t they gorgeous??) If you don’t have access to high quality tomatoes from your local farmer’s market then seek out the best canned tomatoes you can find (for the best flavor I recommend D.O.P. certified Italian imported San Marzano tomatoes).
Another key element to achieving the best flavor is to use the best quality broth you can find. If you don’t have the time or space to make homemade chicken broth, choose a good store-bought brand.
Can I Make This Vegetarian or Vegan?
Absolutely! For vegetarian you can use vegetable broth and for vegan you can substitute almond milk, cashew milk (it’s a bit creamier) or any other non-dairy milk of your choice.
How To Bulk Up the Soup to Serve as a Main Course
Want a soup that’s a bit more substantial to serve as a main course? Simply stir in some cooked rice at the end and you’ll have a delicious cream of tomato rice soup!
Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe
Let’s get started!
Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add the broth.
Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Carefully transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the heavy cream. Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste.
If desired serve with a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs and if desired some coarsely ground black pepper.
Enjoy!
Be sure to also check out my Cream of Celery Soup and Cream of Mushroom Soup!
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Creamy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 medium to large carrots (**use the best you can find, e.g. farmer's market or homegrown)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 pounds tomatoes , chopped (**use the very best you can find, e.g. farmer's market or homegrown. If you can't get excellent fresh tomatoes use the best canned tomatoes available, e.g., DOP certified Italian-imported San Marzano tomatoes. Use about 42 ounces of whole canned tomatoes)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups quality chicken broth (vegetarian/vegan: use vegetable broth)
- 1 cup heavy cream (vegan: use a creamy non-dairy substitute of choice)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil OR 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme OR 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (experiment with whichever herb you prefer)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar (I prefer dark brown for this)
- chopped fresh herbs, coarsely ground black pepper for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add the broth, herbs and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Carefully transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth (you'll need to do it in 2 batches depending on the size of your blender). Return the soup to the pot and add the heavy cream. Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste. If desired serve with a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs and if desired some coarsely ground black pepper.Serves 4-6
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 24, 2019
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I used fresh rosemary.The aroma of it being simmered with carrots, onions and garlic was lovely. This was the perfect recipe for last year’s tomatoes from my freezer.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mary, thank you very much for the feedback! <3
My fave tomato soup recipe. Thanks so much.
Thank YOU, Tony, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe for Creamy Tomato Soup is so good! I have tried many recipes; this is my favorite. I used all fresh organic produce, had to use canned San Marzano Tomatoes as it is off season for tomatoes in my area. I can’t wait to make it this summer with my home-grown tomatoes. Such a wonderful simple recipe. Yum, I bet it would be fantastic with mini grilled cheese croutons.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe,
Wonderful! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it, Pamela, and really appreciate the positive feedback, thank you!
I recently tried a delicious combination of your tomato soup with pita chips, and it was a delightful experience! The warm, comforting soup paired perfectly with the crunchy texture of the Pita chips. Each bite was a delightful blend of flavors and textures, making it a satisfying and comforting meal. It’s a combination I’ll be enjoying again soon!
Thanks for the feedback, Kanishka, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Forgotten to rate it, loved the metric version don’t use cups to measure in Europe weight and volume makes recipes more accurate than cups.
Had 350ml leftover juice from home made saurkraut swapped some of stock for this. Delicious
Wonderful, C Jone, I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the feedback about that interesting addition of sauerkraut juice!
Would it be possible to stop prior to adding the cream and can for future use?? Just add the cream when ready to use? Glad I found your recipes, can’t wait to try the sun dried tomatoes!
That’s exactly right, Karie. That way you won’t deal with any separation or grainy texture issues. I’m so glad you found my site and hope you enjoy the recipes! <3
Favourite tomato soup ever🍅🥰
This was so good and easy! Thanks a bunch! I wanted to use the last of my tomatoes from garden and wow!
I halved the recipe about maybe a bit more than half but was able to Guess amounts based exactly on recipe. I only had five tomatoes!
Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Maureen, thank you!
so delicious and easy to make! thanks for this recipe! ❤
Thank you, jo, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Can you can this soup?
Hi Tori, this recipe has not been tested for canning.
If I doubled this, would it freeze well for later? Have you ever made it with coconut milk? Thanks.
Hi Laura, you can freeze it but creamy soups in general can undergo texture and flavor changes when frozen. I haven’t used coconut milk in this recipe but you certainly can.
I used this recipe to use up a bounty of tomatoes! What a beautiful, rich taste! Thank you!
Thank you, Hilary, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
This is the most delicious tomato soup recipe I have ever tried–and I have tried quite a few! Tomato soup was always my favourite soup when I was growing up, but it always came from a can. As an adult, I’ve always found myself disappointed with it so I set out to find a homemade version that would help me love it again. I struck out four times before finding this one and it is such a keeper. I topped it with some homemade garlic parmesan croutons and it was sooooo creamy and yummy. My spouse has never been a fan of tomato soup and was also unimpressed with other recipes I tried. But as I was falling back in love with an old favourite, he found himself loving it for the first time. Thanks for another great recipe Kimberly–we appreciate you and the ways you share your creativity here :)
Whoops! I forgot to rate it.
That’s wonderful, Brenda! I’m so glad you and your husband both enjoyed this. I appreciate your kind words and also for your taking the time to leave feedback, thanks so much!