Creamy Tomato Soup is a comforting classic that can easily be made at home. With its smooth and creamy texture, this homemade tomato soup is great to serve on its own or as a starter to a meal. It's a delicious choice to make any time of year.
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Making soup when it's cold outside is a great way to warm up. It's also such a comforting meal that makes you feel cozy.
We love having tomato soup with a loaf of garlic herb bread or grilled cheese. There is something about that classic combo that you never outgrow.
Recently, we had extra canned tomatoes in our pantry, so I made a big pot of homemade tomato soup. This tomato soup recipe ended up being an absolute hit with my family. In fact, my husband said multiple times that this was the best soup he ever had.
Why Creamy Tomato Soup is the Best
Skip the store bought soup! Tomato soup is one of the easiest soups to make on the stove top in minutes.
- Only 5 ingredients - These 5 fresh ingredients give this soup a bright color and vibrant flavor. It is so much better than opening a can of tomato concentrate.
- Customizable flavor - This creamy soup can be made to your taste preferences. Feel free to adjust the cream to make it more or less rich. Add other ingredients like onions, garlic, or herbs like thyme or rosemary to enhance the flavor.
- Wholesome and nutritious - Many store bought canned soups contain sugar, salt, preservatives, and/or artificial flavors. When you make soup at home, you have control over the ingredients and can avoid these extra additives.
- Quick and easy - Using just a few ingredients you can have a pot of soup on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes.
- Cost effective - It is a great way to use up extra ingredients in your kitchen or garden. Plus, you can freeze the soup base, which will save you time and money later.
Key Ingredients
This recipe for creamy parmesan tomato soup is made with just FIVE simple ingredients. You may have most of these in your kitchen right now.
- Whole Canned Tomatoes - Puree the tomatoes in a food processor before starting.
- Chicken Broth - Adds flavor to the tomatoes as it simmers. Use vegetable broth if you want to make a vegetarian based soup.
- Garlic - Adds more flavor.
- Heavy Cream - Gives this tomato soup recipe a creamy taste and texture. Light cream is not recommended because it can curdle. The fat content in the heavy cream protects the dairy from curdling.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese - This type of cheese adds a saltiness and rich flavor without getting stringy.
Creamy Tomato Soup Toppings
Adding extra things to the top of a bowl of tomato soup makes it even better, in my opinion. Here are a few things you can add to your quick and easy tomato soup recipe.
- Shredded Cheese - Parmesan, Cheddar, Mozzarella
- Croutons
- Fresh Basil or Chives
- Grilled Cheese cubes
BruCrew Tip: Shredded parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and grilled cheese cubes is my favorite combo.
How to Make Tomato Soup
This cream of tomato soup recipe has so much more flavor than the classic canned tomato soup you grew up on. It comes together quickly in one pot.
- Puree tomatoes. Pour two cans of whole peeled tomatoes into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Make the soup base. Pour the tomatoes into a large pot. Add broth and garlic. Let this come to a low boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
- Add cream and cheese. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Place on the stove and continue heating until it comes to a very low boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Blend until creamy. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture into a creamy soup. You can skip this if you don't mind the bits of garlic in your soup.
BruCrew Tip: Fill serving bowls with different toppings and set them on the dinner table along with the pot of homemade cream of tomato soup. Let everyone get creative by adding toppings to their own bowl.
Storing Leftover Soup
In the Refrigerator - Place leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
In the Freezer - You can freeze tomato soup with heavy cream. Let it cool to room temperature. Pour the soup into single serving bags or large serving bags, allowing room at the top for expansion as it freezes. Write the date on the bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat - Thaw in the fridge overnight or heat from frozen. The soup can be reheated in a pan on the stovetop over low-medium heat or microwaved. Make sure to stir really well to incorporate the ingredients and bring it back to its original consistency.
What to Serve with Tomato Soup
This tomato soup is hearty enough to enjoy with a loaf of bread or some grilled cheese sandwiches for dunking. Here are a few of our other favorites.
- Appetizers - Start off the meal with some easy appetizers such as these pizza bites or these tortilla pizza roll ups.
- Salad - There is a reason the pick two is popular at restaurants. We love making a small side salad and adding a drizzle of avocado lime ranch dressing.
- Sandwiches - Of course, the most popular option is grilled cheese. But a few of our other favorites are chicken sliders, parmesan chicken crescent rolls, or this cheesy beef panini.
- Dessert - End the meal with your favorite crispy chewy chocolate chip cookies or a pan of chocolate chip brownies.
Tips and Tricks
- Save time. Buy cans of crushed tomatoes instead of pureeing the whole tomatoes.
- Add some spice. Diced chiles will give the soup a spicier flavor. You can also add some cayenne pepper to the soup for some heat.
- Use a non-reactive pot. Tomatoes are acidic and can react to certain metals such as aluminum, copper, or cast iron, giving the soup a metallic taste.
- Taste test often. Sample the soup often to make sure the flavor isn't bitter.
- Neutralize the flavor. If your tomato soup is bitter, you can neutralize the flavor with red wine vinegar, sugar, honey, butter, or ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
- Adjust the consistency. Add more or less broth, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup.
- Be careful. If you use a blender or food processor to puree the soup, do not overfill the container. The steam from the hot soup can cause the lid to pop off.
- Make it vegan. Use vegetable broth and a non-dairy cream such as coconut cream.
FAQ
This is a great soup to make 1-2 days ahead of time. Remove it from the fridge and slowly reheat the soup over low-medium heat until it reaches your desired temperature.
Yes, you can freeze this particular soup if you use heavy cream. If you are using any other milk in this tomato soup recipe, I recommend freezing the tomatoes and broth first, then adding the milk and cheese LATER when you are reheating it.
Some tomatoes are more acidic than others which can cause a bitter or sour taste. You can neutralize the flavor by adding red wine vinegar, sugar, honey, butter, or ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Make sure to only add a little at a time to the homemade tomato soup until the flavor improves.
Tomatoes are an acidic fruit and can cause curdling when dairy is added. Adding cold cream liquids to a hot mixture can also cause it to curdle. Temper the cream with a little bit of the hot soup before adding it to the rest of the soup.
Yes, but it is more time consuming than opening a can of tomatoes. You will need to roast, cool, and crush the tomatoes before making the soup.
Other Easy Soup Recipes
- Cheesy Chicken Soup
- Pizza Soup
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Easy French Onion Soup
- White Chicken Chili
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Recipe
Creamy Tomato Soup
Looking for a smooth and creamy homemade soup that can be ready in under 30 minutes? One sip of this Creamy Tomato Soup and you will never buy store bought again. Our friends and family love this recipe and yours will too.
Ingredients
- 2 - 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Kraft grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor.
- Pour the tomatoes, broth, and garlic in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. (taste the mixture and if it is bitter or sour, add ¼-1/2 tsp. baking soda to neutralize the flavor)
- Stir ¼ cup hot soup into the heavy cream to temper it. Add the tempered cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Bring the soup back to a very slight boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Puree the soup again with an immersion blender to make it smooth and creamy.
- Serve with shredded parmesan cheese, grilled cheese sandwich croutons, and fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
- Save time. Buy cans of crushed tomatoes instead of pureeing the whole tomatoes.
- Add some spice. Diced chiles will give the soup a spicier flavor. You can also add some cayenne pepper to the soup for some heat.
- Use a non-reactive pot. Tomatoes are acidic and can react to certain metals such as aluminum, copper, or cast iron giving the soup a metallic taste.
- Taste test often. Sample the soup often to make sure the flavor isn't bitter.
- Neutralize the flavor. If your tomato soup is bitter you can neutralize the flavor with red wine vinegar, sugar, honey, butter, or ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
- Adjust the consistency. Add more or less broth depending on how thick or thin you like your soup.
- Be careful. If you are using a blender or food processor to puree the soup, do not over fill the container because the steam from the hot soup can cause the lid to pop off.
- Make it vegan. Use vegetable broth and a non-dairy cream such as coconut cream.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 970mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 7g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Jamie
I wanted to love this and I'm wondering what I can do to salvage what I made. It's so runny, not thick or creamy at all. I had it simmering for easily twice as long to see if it would thicken up- didn't work...Also added a 2nd helping of Parmesan and heavy cream to see if that would help thicken it up - nope! I'm not skilled enough to know what to do here. Any thoughts or suggestions? I was really hoping for something thicker - closer to a bisque maybe?? When I pureed the canned tomatoes, I didn't drain them first- should I have?? Just trying to figure out why mine turned out so "meh" when others had such a great result. Appreciate any insights on thickening it up!
Jocelyn
I'm not sure how thick you were wanting this to be. This isn't a super thick soup recipe. It simmers down a little bit, but I wouldn't say it is a thick style soup at all. It's slightly thicker than a canned version. The extra cream will definitely thin it out more too. The only thing I can think of to thicken it is mixing a little bit of warm soup with some cornstarch, then whisk that mixture into the pot of soup and simmering it again. Another option is instant potato flakes. I hope that helps.
Cara
It was delicious! I thought it was to thin as well, so I added 1/4 cup flour and whisked it in. I let it simmer 20min longer and added some basil… it was amazing!
Jim
Tried this recipe yesterday with the exception of heavy cream; used 2% milk instead. I thought 2. Tablespoons garlic was a bit much though. Besides that very flavorful.
Leigh
You could always scale back on the chicken broth to thicken it and amp up the tomato flavor. This might help ‘bisque’ it up too.
Casey
I’m making this ahead of time. Can I store it in the fridge overnight?
Jocelyn
Yes you can. I usually make a big pot early in the week, and then we eat it all week long. It reheats really well. I hope you enjoy it.
Kaysha Fayet
I’m just trying to find the freaking recipe. I have to go through page after page of somebodies monologue of how their recipe changed the world. I scrolled threw this page 3 times and I still can’t even find the recipe. Which is sad, so now I just have to go to another website. Maybe keep things simple for once. ?
Jocelyn
I'm sorry you had so much trouble finding the recipe. Seriously, just keep scrolling. Most recipes on a blog are at the very bottom after all the pictures and recipe tips.
Madeline
Click “jump to recipe”…
Diane
I made this because I love tomato soup. I ate gallons of the canned stuff my entire life but can't handle it anymore because of all the salt. I used your recipe to.the.letter, then modified. I added about 1/2 t of sugar, a pinch of baking soda and extra cream. I had to throw in a T. Of butter too. I strained out the garlic before the 2nd puree. This was excellent. I made half a recipe and ate it all myself. Thanks for this!
Wendy
It was raining and definitely a soup kind of day so I made this and it was delicious! It was just my daughter and I so I used 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 cup broth, 1/2 tbsp garlic and 1/4 each of cream and parmesan. I added 1 oz of cream cheese because of course (seriously, it added tanginess and provided creaminess, try it!). It was so creamy and delicious. Made a pesto cheddar grilled cheese, and we had a restaurant worthy meal in no time. Thanks for the recipe, this is a keeper!
Jocelyn
Yay for soup making weather! I am so thrilled you made and loved this recipe. And I'm totally adding cream cheese the next time we make a pot. Thanks for the tip!
Melissa
I want to try if this is the best tomato soup. It looks very nice and delicious
Stacey
When I made this soup the cream almost seemed to curdle. What did I do wrong?
Jocelyn
I am so sorry to hear that. We make this soup all the time, and I have never had it happen. Was your cream light or heavy? Light cream is more prone to curdle. If it isn't fresh it can also curdle. Also, if your soup is too hot when you add the cream it can curdle. Make sure the temp is lowered as it simmers. One thing you can do is add a little soup to the cream to temper it before adding it to the rest of the soup. Another reason for curdling could be the acid in the tomatoes. Adding a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the tomato mixture can help to neutralize the acidity. A teaspoon of butter can also help with this too. I hope all that info helps and you give the soup another chance. It really is one of our favorites!
Kaley
I just made this tonight and it’s amazing!! I received about 50lbs of tomatoes and am trying to find ways to use them up. They are fresh so I baked them first with olive oil and salt and pepper and blended them up. They leave a bit of a bitter after taste but I combated that with 1/4tsp baking soda and fixed that up instantly! Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Jocelyn
That's awesome! I love hearing when people make the recipes I share here. And awesome job figuring out how to balance the bitter taste of the roasted tomatoes. I never would have thought of baking soda. I usually add a little sugar or honey if the tomatoes have a slightly bitter or acidic flavor. I also hear red wine vinegar can help.
Julianne Ingram
if i want to make a bigger batch, should i just double all ingredients?!
Jocelyn
Yes, if you are needing a bigger batch, just double the ingredients. But be sure you have a large enough pot to hold all of it. I hope you enjoy the soup!
Julie D
I just put this in my crockpot. Left out the cream and cheese for now, will add at the last 30 minutes. Will let you know how it turns out!
Heather
How many whole fresh tomatoes would you use for this if you didn't want to use canned?
Jocelyn
I have only made this soup using the cans of tomatoes, so I'm not quite sure. If you have a kitchen scale, you could measure out 56 ounces of fresh peeled tomatoes to use. I hope that helps.
Deborah
Excellent Cream of Tomato soup! Everyone loves it and quick and easy to make.
Anthony Allen
Really happy with my end result, I halved everything for a smaller serving, added about half a teaspoon of sweet paprika and cayenne pepper. Added stock and slightly less water and it come out amazing.
Richard Tunner
This soup was absolutely delicious! I added a small capsicum as well. Loved the sneaky additional veggies in it. Adding this to my go to soup recipes!
Kassie ODriscoll
I think your link to the actual recipe is broken. Uh oh...
Jocelyn
Hi, Kassie. We had a site issue today that took down all the recipe cards. Everything should be fixed and showing now.
Steph
I loved how easy this recipe was!
Kristyn
Now, I just need a grilled cheese sandwich! This tomato soup is creamy & full of so much flavor!
Jennifer
This tomato soup is the BEST!!! Only tomato soup I ever make!
Rachael Yerkes
Tomato soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. Thanks for making this both easy and delicious.
Allyson Zea
This looks like my favorite soup from panera! Love it!