Tomato Soup

The BEST tomato soup recipe! It's rich, flavorful, and made with pantry ingredients. Pair it with a grilled cheese for a delicious, comforting meal!

Tomato soup

Homemade tomato soup is like a hug in a bowl, which, when the weather is as gray as it has been here lately, is exactly what I need.

This tomato soup recipe is a cold weather staple in our house. It couldn’t be simpler to make, and the ingredients are largely pantry basics that I always keep on hand. But more importantly, this tomato soup is creamy, comforting, and full of rich flavor. The tomatoes make it tangy, balsamic vinegar adds sweetness, and red pepper flakes give it a warming kick of heat. You could serve it on its own, topped with a swirl of olive oil, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves…or you could pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich. If you’re craving cozy comfort food as much as I have been recently, I definitely vote for the latter.

Tomato soup recipe ingredients

Tomato Soup Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade tomato soup recipe:

  • Tomatoes, of course! Canned diced tomatoes, to be exact. If you’d prefer to make a tomato soup recipe that calls for fresh tomatoes, check out this tomato basil soup recipe instead.
  • Olive oil and butter – They create the soup’s rich base. To make this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use additional olive oil instead of the butter.
  • Carrots, onion, and garlic – These aromatic veggies give the soup savory depth of flavor.
  • Balsamic vinegar – It adds sweetness and tang.
  • Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own. Water works here too!
  • Full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream – Honestly, both are fantastic! They make the soup equally creamy. If you go the dairy-free route, I promise, you won’t taste the coconut one bit!
  • Dried thyme – For warm, earthy flavor.
  • Red pepper flakes – For heat.
  • Fresh basil leaves – You can’t beat the combination of tomatoes and basil! I shower the basil over the soup to add bursts of fresh flavor.
  • And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Sauteed carrots, onion, and garlic in a pot with balsamic vinegar

How to Make Tomato Soup

This homemade tomato soup recipe is so simple to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, sauté the veggies. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar.

Hand using spatula to stir cream into pot of homemade tomato soup

Next, add the remaining ingredients and simmer. Add the canned tomatoes, water, coconut milk or heavy cream, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Homemade tomato soup in a blender

Then, blend part of the soup. This step makes it sooo creamy! Scoop 4 cups of the soup out of the pot and set aside. Transfer the remaining soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. If you like, you could use an immersion blender for this step, though I prefer the smoother texture I get when I use my upright blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, along with the 4 cups of chunky soup. Stir to combine.

Finally, season to taste and serve. That’s it!

Pot of homemade tomato soup with silver ladle

Homemade Tomato Soup Serving Suggestions

When you’re ready to eat, top your bowl with a swirl of olive oil, a drizzle of coconut milk or heavy cream, lots of fresh black pepper, and fresh basil. Enjoy the soup with a side of crusty bread, or top it with homemade croutons for crunch. And of course, you can’t beat pairing it with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Want something lighter on the side? A cup of this tomato soup is delicious with a simple green salad, my kale Caesar salad, or a classic Caesar salad.

Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the tomato soup for up to 3 months!

Tomato soup recipe

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this tomato soup recipe, try one of these homemade soups next:

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Tomato Soup

rate this recipe:
4.94 from 115 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 6
Our favorite tomato soup recipe! Made with pantry staples, this simple homemade tomato soup is creamy, rich, and flavorful. Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich for a delicious, comforting meal!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or an additional 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1⅓ cups full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened.
  • Stir in the vinegar, then add the tomatoes, water, coconut milk, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
  • Scoop 4 cups of the soup out of the pot and set aside. Transfer the remaining soup to a blender. Puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot with the reserved 4 cups of chunky soup. Stir to combine and season to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil leaves for garnish.

175 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Anastasia Stipakhno
    02.26.2023

    5 stars
    great recipe

  2. Kim Herbert
    02.25.2023

    5 stars
    I usually don’t go for tomato soup because I always thought of it as kind of boring. Definitely not this one, though! The balsamic vinegar gives it some great depth and it has just the right amount of chunky texture. Such a great cozy lunch option!

  3. Amy Winkel
    02.24.2023

    4 stars
    Not your traditional tomato soup- a little spicy and sweet. (It had a curry soup feel to me). I really liked it but my husband not as much. I made grilled cheese sandwiches in the air-fryer to eat with it. Thinking that I will add a salad as well when I eat my leftovers later today.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.24.2023

      Hi Amy, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

  4. Kiley Gansert
    02.23.2023

    5 stars
    Super tasty! The balsamic was such a good addition! And I love that it is made primarily with pantry staples so we didn’t even need to go out to the store to make it

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.24.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  5. April VanDerwerken
    02.23.2023

    5 stars
    This soup was great. Loved using the coconut so the soup would be dairy free.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.24.2023

      So glad you loved it!

  6. Rachel Gardner-Ursel
    02.23.2023

    5 stars
    Delicious! Made this on a snowy Canadian day with some grilled cheese. I substituted smoked paprika for the red pepper chili flakes so it was less spicy for my little one, and he loved it!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Aww so glad it was a hit!

  7. Alison Peterson
    02.22.2023

    So good and easy! Took a mental health day because of a Wisconsin ice storm… made this with grilled cheese!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      The perfect meal for a snow/ice day! So glad you enjoyed it.

  8. Kriss
    02.22.2023

    5 stars
    This soup is delicious and I’m happy to have some in the freezer to break out when I need more deliciousness in my life. Yum!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  9. Tracy Zielinski
    02.22.2023

    5 stars
    Was really delicious!!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  10. Brooklynn
    02.22.2023

    5 stars
    What a delicious and wholesome soup for the cold winter months. My family (toddlers included!) loved this soup with a grilled cheese for dinner.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Aww so glad it was a hit!

  11. Susan Collison
    02.21.2023

    5 stars
    Tomato soup NOT from a can?!! This recipe was so easy to put together, and with a winter storm looming, it was perfect for dinner, paired with vegan grilled cheese on sourdough. The carrots made for a lovely orange hue, & the red pepper flakes gave it some nice heat. I can hardly wait for the leftovers!!! Thank you for curing me from canned tomato soup!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  12. Simone
    02.21.2023

    5 stars
    I made this over the weekend and served with a pepper jack cheese and apple grilled cheese. I used coconut milk which added the perfect amount of creaminess. I will definitely be making this tomato soup on repeat!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      So glad you loved the soup! That grilled cheese combo sounds delicious!

  13. Annika Carnes
    02.20.2023

    5 stars
    I absolutely loved this tomato soup and I’m not even a real big tomato soup fan. The flavor is so good and I really enjoyed that it was a little chunky. I used coconut milk which made it very tasty. I much prefer to use that instead of cream. It was also quick and easy to make. Once the onions and carrots were chopped up, it all came together pretty fast.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Hi Annika, I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  14. Denise Fraser
    02.20.2023

    5 stars
    I am a soupaholic, and one of my favorites is this tomato soup. I have always loved tomato soup since I was a child. Most of my favorites as an adult are more brothy, but this one is on my list as an absolute must. Thank you for this superb rendition.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Hi Denise, I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

  15. Sabina Coutis
    02.20.2023

    5 stars
    Made it tonight and loved it! Coconut Milk, who knew?!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Haha so glad you loved it!

  16. Anna Johnson
    02.20.2023

    5 stars
    There are a lot of things to love about this soup! I liked the chunky aspect, since I don’t care for creamy soup. We also loved the flavor and the fact that it used coconut milk, since we don’t use dairy milk in our cooking.
    We doubled the recipe, so it took a long time to finally come to a simmer, but we cut our carrots very small, so it didn’t have to simmer long before it was done.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.20.2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  17. Shannon M
    02.19.2023

    5 stars
    This soup was so tasty and healthy! Really loved the part puree and part chunky- perfect blend. We paired it with your pesto pizza but we grilled it – very tasty!
    Shannon M

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.20.2023

      Oh yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup and the pizza!

  18. Megan Startzell
    02.19.2023

    This was enjoyed by all. It is a simple and delicious tomato soup recipe.

  19. Heather Bieber
    02.18.2023

    5 stars
    Delicious on a winter night! Hearty and comforting. Goes great with grilled cheese!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.20.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  20. Larry Donohue
    02.17.2023

    5 stars
    I recommend this tomato soup recipe to everyone. It’s a great meal for a cold winter day, and pairs well with grilled cheese or crackers.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.20.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.