This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This Tomato Soup is simply the BEST- just read the reviews! Make it with fresh summer tomatoes or use canned tomatoes in winter- either way, it’s a nourishing meal in under 30 minutes. Cozy and comforting, vegan-adaptable, with a video. Plus 25 Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes.
The soul has been given its own ears to hear things the mind does not understand.
Rumi
This Tomato Soup has become a weekly occurrence at our home for the last month. I’ve been making jars of it to give away to busy friends and serving it up as dinner with homemade sourdough bread (or sourdough croutons) and Arugula Almond Pesto. Even though it’s just soup, it feels like a nourishing treat. Cozy, homey, and comforting, any time of year.
Homemade Tomato Soup | Video
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Fast and Easy– Whip it up in 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
- Flexible– It can be made with fresh tomatoes like we are using right now or with canned Roma tomatoes in winter when fresh tomatoes are long gone. Add bell peppers or carrots for sweetness.
- Completely Adaptable– It can easily be made vegan!
- Perfectly creamy! The soup is perfectly creamy, not overly, just enough!
Ingredient Notes
- Ghee– We love the flavor this gives, but butter or olive oil work great too.
- Carrot– This adds sweetness and body to the soup. You can also replace it with bell pepper, or even better- add both!
- Tomatoes– Fresh summer tomatoes elevate the soup, but canned tomatoes work too! San Marzanos are our favorite choice here.
- Broth– We keep it easy with bullion cubes veggie bouillon paste but ready-made broth works too! Especially this flavorful homemade Vegetable Broth.
- Cream– or half & half, and vegans use cashews for a dairy-free version- still so rich and delicious!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Soup
Step One– Saute onion and carrots in a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, stir occasionally. Add a red bell pepper if you like!
Step Two– Add fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes) veggie broth or chicken broth, seasonings, pepper and salt.
Simmer with the broth, covered, until the tomatoes break down, about 10-15 minutes.
Step Three– Add fresh basil and blend. Using an immersion blender makes this especially quick and easy.
Step Four– Then add heavy cream or half and half. (Or, for a vegan option, add raw cashews to the simmering tomatoes to soften before blending.)
What To Serve With Tomato Soup
Top the tomato soup with parmesan cheese, a swirl of pesto, or add croutons if you like.
- Easy Sourdough Bread
- Our Favorite Homemade Cornbread
- Soft Sourdough Rolls
- Rosemary Olive Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Cheddar Scones with Caramelized Onions
Tomato Soup FAQS
Use fresh ripe tomatoes if possible, but canned tomatoes work too – if using canned, use San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor- a fast, easy pantry meal! Using fresh tomatoes when they are in season- elevates, and makes the BEST tomato soup.
The easiest, healthiest, and tastiest way to thicken tomato soup is to add carrots to the soup. Not only will they thicken the soup, but they will also add a lovely sweetness.
Yes it does! Best to leave out the dairy and add it in after reheating. it can be frozen in mason jars leaving an inch of headroom for expansion.
To make vegan tomato soup, simmer cashews in the soup before blending. It will whip up creamy and delicious!
What our readers are saying!
Veronica: This is the best tomato soup I’ve ever had. Love it! I’ll keep the recipe for sure. Thank You
Melanie: Made this for dinner. Excellent. I used carrots, celery and red bell pepper in it. I doubled the recipe. I’ll freeze some and use some in a creamy Parmesan pasta sauce.
Danielle: Absolutely the best tomato soup!
More Recipes You May Enjoy
- Arugula Almond Pesto
- Roasted Tomato Soup with Halloumi Croutons
- Mediterranean Split Pea Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Simple Cabbage Soup
- Glowing Carrot Soup
- Simple Celery Soup
- Our 25 Most Popular Vegetarian Soups!
Enjoy this Tomato Soup. Make it for a friend, or do something kind with it this week!
xoxo
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Print
Tomato Soup
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 cups 1x
- Category: soup, vegan,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Homemade Tomato Soup made with fresh or canned tomatoes, in under 30 minutes. Creamy, easy and delicious! Vegan-adaptable (see notes)!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, ghee, or butter (the ghee elevates!)
- 1 extra-large onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced (or one red bell pepper) or use both-the best!!)
- 2 lbs fresh tomatoes (or one, 28-ounce can of San Marzano Tomatoes)
- 1 cup water plus 1-2 bouillon cubes (chicken or veggie)
- 2 tablespoons sugar, honey or maple syrup (or sugar alternative)
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 10–15 basil leaves
- pinch cayenne (optional, but good)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (or sub-cashews-see notes)
- 1–2 tablespoons sour cream- optional!
Optional toppings:
- Add chopped tomatoes for more texture.
- Add a few basil ribbons
- Arugula almond pesto
- Sourdough croutons!
- parmesan cheese, pecorino or try Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle!
Instructions
- Heat butter in a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute until softened about 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots, lower heat to medium, saute 3-4 minutes more until onions are golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes, honey or sugar, salt and pepper. (If making this vegan, add cashews now-see notes.) Stir, increase heat and bring to a simmer, cover, then lower heat to low, so it’s gently simmering. Simmer 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and carrots are tender. Remove from heat.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup adding the basil leaves. Or you can blend in a blender.
- Return it to the pot. Stir in the cream.
- Taste and adjust salt and sugar. Add a little pinch of cayenne.
- Whisk in the sour cream if you like.
- Serve in bowls with basil ribbons, arugula almond pesto, croutons, pecorino, or fresh little tomatoes (halved).
Notes
If making this vegan, add 1/3-1/2 cup raw cashews to simmering tomatoes to soften before blending. You will need to blend the soup a little longer.
To use broth or stock instead of bouillon cubes- feel free, but you will need to increase the salt to taste.
Feel free to add: garlic or celery when you add the carrots.
STORE: Soup will last 4 days in the fridge or freeze for winter in mason jars with 1-inch headroom (for expansion).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 758.7 mg
- Fat: 18.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 12.4 mg
Keywords: tomato soup, tomato soup recipe, best tomato soup, best tomato soup recipe, easy tomato soup, vegan tomato soup, creamy tomato soup, best tomato soup, tomato basil soup
The very best tomato soup recipe I have come upon. It is the “go to” every year when the tomato crop comes in and the frozen soups see us through to the following harvest.
Thank you Sylvia!!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you are enjoying this!
★★★★★
So delicious! Used mixed variety of my garden tomatoes, & both red pepper & carrots. In place of basil, used mix of herbs from garden: rosemary, tarragon, flat & curly parsley, & thyme. Using dutch oven & stick blender made for easy cleanup.
★★★★★
Sounds just perfect! Glad you enjoyed.
So delicious! Used mixed variety of my garden tomatoes, & both red pepper & carrots. In place of basil, used mix of herbs from garden: rosemary, tarragon, flat & curly parsley, & thyme. Using dutch oven & stick blender made for easy cleanup.
★★★★★
Great! Sounds perfect.
So delicious! Used mixed variety of my garden tomatoes, & both red pepper & carrots. In place of basil, used mix of herbs from garden: rosemary, tarragon, flat & curly parsley, & thyme. Using dutch oven & stick blender made for easy cleanup.
★★★★★
This by far is the most delicious tomato soup. I make this so often, and my son has NO IDEA that there are peppers and carrots in it!!! 🙂 I love this soup
★★★★★
Love that Raine, gotta get those nutrients in where you can! So glad you are enjoying.
I have been looking for a tomato soup recipe and this one is the keeper. I had added cashews hoping for a creamy texture after blending, but my dear old blender burnt out its motor half way through and I had to finish with a stick blender, so it was not as smooth as I had hoped but the flavor was great. I’ll try it again when I get a new blender! As always, thanks for sharing your talents with us!
★★★★★
Oh Shoot! Sorry Mert. Did you simmer the cashews first a bit? That will help to soften. You might try blending again after it sits and soaks a bit. 🙂
★★★★★
Excellent and easy!
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed!
Fabulous!!! Made the arugula pesto. Will make it again!
★★★★★
Awesome to hear!
Big YUMMM! This was so delicious. Made as written (except I just used 1 Tbsp. sugar, reasoning I could add the rest later and it was fine). Stirred in some Greek yogurt. Tasted like Health in a bowl! Thanks.
Great to hear!
This is my favourite tomato soup. I also used one kapia pepper and I think it contributed to the fabulous taste. I will remake it. Thank you
★★★★★
That sounds divine Anca!
I have made this soup many, many times. Sometimes adding garlic, using kabocha squash or sweet potatoes in place of carrots, adding basil leaves or pesto, sometimes using fresh roasted tomatoes or simply canned. Every time it turns out delicious!! Such a wonderful and versatile recipe. Thank you, Sylvia!
★★★★★
Awesome to hear Julia!
This Tomato soup was very easy to make and very tasty! Will definitely make this again!
So happy you are enjoying!
Your recipes are the best! So easy and you make me look good when I have guests. 🙂
Thank you.
★★★★★
Awww… thanks Vicky! Very Appreciated!