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!
Save This Recipe
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
Such a wonderful soup and so easy to make. It will be a staple in our home. Thank you for sharing!
This is an amazing and one of my favourite soups…it looks sooo good & sound is too delicious…i will trying to making tonight..Thanks for sharing….!
It wouldn’t be fall without this soup served almost on the weekly! It’s so comforting and a wonderful way to warm up.
Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for the recipe ;0)
This was great! A hit with me, hubby, pre teen kids and a baby (she loved it!). Having leftovers for lunch at work this week. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad your whole family enjoyed it, Katherine, thanks so much for letting us know!
OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS DELICIOUS! THANKS FOR SHARING!
Looks delicious!! Want to make this in winter too. What size can tomatoes would you recommend I use if I can’t get good fresh ones?
Thanks, Vic! If using canned aim for about 42 ounces and I recommend using whole canned tomatoes as they’re generally better quality tomatoes than diced, crushed or stewed.
I have been making homemade tomatoe soup for about 5 years now and will never go back to canned ever again. I cook from scratch because I am highly allergic to MSG and will end of in the hopsital if I am not careful and read all labels of any canned/processed foods that I happen to buy.I
However, I use Better than Bouillon Vegetable or Chicken broth, because until this recipe I had never heard of Aneto – just may have to try it; 10 – 12 Roma Tomatoes, 1 l large Yellow onion, diced, 3 finely diced carrots, 2 ribs of celery and for the seasonings – 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning, 1/4 -1/2 or to taste salt and pepper. I also use Hunts tomatoe paste as it has no MSG in it. Then I dump it all in my 10 quart pressure cooker and 10 minutes later I am ready to puree every thing. Then, just add the cream and adjust the seasonings a needed. It freezes great and I have about 6 – 2 cup bags in my freezer right now. Great for a cold winter breakfast or with a grilled cheese sandwich for a quick dinner. Thanks for your tips and I enjoyed reading your recipe. As I said, I will have to try the Aneto.
Thanks so much for sharing, Kathi!
This is my favorite way to use up garden vegetables! So easy and delicious!
Making this for lunch with grilled cheese. So amazing.
Tomato soup is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. This looks great!
I love that you saute the veggies first to add extra flavor~ It makes such a difference! I’m going to try finding some sun-ripened tomatoes at the farmers market to make this. Looks wonderful!
Good timing! Chilly fall nights will be here soon and this Creamy Tomato Soup will be perfect!
What a savory soup! A restaurant worthy dish, indeed!
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight; this looks amazing! So excited to give this a try!
Love your tips on using good tomatoes and different herbs to pep up the flavours!! Good recipe