Tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food—warm, velvety, and brimming with slow-roasted flavor. Whether you’re craving something cozy on a chilly day or need a nourishing meal that comes together with simple ingredients, this homemade tomato soup delivers. With layers of flavor from oven-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and a touch of cream, every spoonful feels like a hug in a bowl. Unlike canned versions, this soup is rich, robust, and made entirely from scratch—no shortcuts. In just over an hour, you’ll have a restaurant-quality tomato soup that pairs beautifully with a crispy grilled cheese or hearty sourdough bread.
Table of Contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Tomato Soup Recipe
- Incredibly Easy: Roast, blend, simmer—done. No fancy tools or culinary degrees required.
- Deep, Roasted Flavor: Roasting tomatoes, garlic, and peppers intensifies their natural sweetness and brings a delicious smoky depth.
- Creamy, But Not Heavy: A splash of cream adds silkiness without overpowering the tomato’s fresh, bright flavor.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Roast the veggies in advance and blend when you’re ready. This soup stores and reheats beautifully.
- Customizable: Prefer it spicy? Add red pepper flakes. Need it vegetarian? Swap in veggie broth.
- Perfect Pairing: It’s begging to be served with a grilled cheese sandwich, crusty sourdough, or cheesy breadsticks.
- Better Than Store-Bought: Once you taste this homemade tomato soup, you’ll never want the canned version again.
🛒 Ingredients for the Best Tomato Soup
To make a truly delicious and creamy tomato soup, you’ll need these simple, fresh ingredients:
- 1 lb vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth (or substitute with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (balances tomato acidity)
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or more for extra richness)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- Optional garnishes: Extra basil, a drizzle of cream, olive oil, Parmesan cheese
Tip: Use ripe tomatoes with rich color and slight softness. Roasting brings out their best!
👩🍳 How to Make Creamy Tomato Soup
Follow these easy steps to create a cozy, restaurant-quality tomato soup at home:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Prepare the veggies: On a baking sheet, arrange halved tomatoes, bell pepper pieces, onion quarters, and garlic cloves in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Roast for 30–40 minutes, or until the vegetables are nicely charred and softened. Let them cool for 10–15 minutes.
- Blend until smooth: Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender and purée until velvety. Set aside.
- Make the roux: In a large pot, melt butter and remaining olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until a golden paste forms.
- Add tomato paste: Stir in tomato paste and cook another 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Gradually whisk in broth: Start with 1 cup of broth to dissolve the roux, then add remaining broth and blended vegetables.
- Season and simmer: Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Finish with cream and basil: Stir in heavy cream and chopped basil. Simmer another 2–3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust: Add more seasoning or cream if needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of cream, olive oil, and fresh basil.
Serving suggestion: Pair with grilled cheese, cheesy garlic bread, or a fresh green salad.
⏱️ Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Servings: 4 bowls
🥣 Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – Approximate)
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 13g
- Vitamin A: 4,100 IU
- Vitamin C: 85mg
- Calcium: 70mg
- Iron: 2mg
Note: Nutritional values are estimates and can vary based on ingredient brands and substitutions.
🧑🍳 Tips & Variations
🔪 Pro Tips
- Roast at high heat: Don’t skip roasting the tomatoes, garlic, and peppers—it adds a deep, caramelized flavor that makes this soup shine.
- Use ripe tomatoes: The riper the tomatoes, the richer and sweeter your soup will taste.
- Add sugar gradually: Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust after blending to balance the acidity without making it sweet.
- Blend until ultra-smooth: For a silky texture, use a high-powered blender and blend in batches if needed.
🔁 Variations
- Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes or a chopped chili before blending for a little kick.
- Go dairy-free: Swap cream for coconut cream or cashew cream for a vegan-friendly version.
- Boost the protein: Stir in cooked white beans, lentils, or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Switch the broth: Use vegetable broth to make it fully vegetarian without compromising flavor.
🍽 Pairing Suggestions
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Crusty sourdough or focaccia
- Caesar salad or a light cucumber salad
Creamy Tomato Soup
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- – Blender
- Large soup pot
- Whisk
- Ladle
Ingredients
- – 1 lb vine-ripened tomatoes halved
- – 2 large heirloom tomatoes halved
- – 1 red bell pepper quartered and seeded
- – 5 garlic cloves peeled
- – 1 small yellow onion quartered
- – 1 tbsp butter
- – 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- – ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- – 1½ tbsp tomato paste
- – 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- – 1 tsp sugar or to taste
- – Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- – ¼ cup heavy cream
- – 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- – Optional garnishes: extra cream olive oil, Parmesan, fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
- On a baking sheet, spread tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Roast for 30–40 minutes until veggies are softened and lightly charred. Let cool slightly.
- Blend roasted veggies in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large pot, melt butter with remaining olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in 1 cup broth. Once smooth, add remaining broth and blended veggies.
- Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in cream and chopped basil. Simmer another 2–3 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with garnishes of your choice.
Notes
– Spice it up: Add red pepper flakes before blending.
– Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What tomatoes are best for tomato soup?
Use a mix of heirloom and vine-ripened tomatoes for the best depth of flavor. Roma tomatoes also work well because they’re meaty and have fewer seeds.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Absolutely. Roast the vegetables and blend the soup base up to 2 days in advance. Reheat on the stove and stir in cream just before serving.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool the soup completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze tomato soup?
Yes! This soup freezes well—even with cream. Let it cool, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
How do I reheat without curdling the cream?
Warm the soup slowly over medium-low heat, stirring often. Avoid boiling once the cream is added to keep it smooth.
How can I make it more filling?
Add a scoop of cooked white beans, chopped rotisserie chicken, or cooked lentils to boost the protein and make it more satisfying.
🍽️ Final Thoughts
This creamy tomato soup is proof that simple ingredients can create truly comforting magic in your kitchen. With deeply roasted vegetables, a touch of cream, and fresh basil, it’s everything you want in a bowl—smooth, savory, and soul-warming. Whether you’re cozying up on a cold night or meal-prepping for the week, this tomato soup deserves a permanent spot in your recipe rotation.