Homemade Tomato Soup
Homemade tomato soup is made with tomatoes, onions, basil and just a few other ingredients. It’s so easy to make, you can forget about the store-bought stuff.
This classic tomato soup recipe is restaurant quality!
Who doesn’t remember sitting down as a kid to a hot bowl of condensed tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich? This food combination is classic comfort food at it’s best. The perfect way to cozy up on a cold day.
Because this is a homemade tomato soup made with canned tomatoes, it can be enjoyed anytime of the year. There’s no need to worry about the soup having a “canned” taste. We provide you with 2 optional ingredients to get rid of the canned tomato flavor.
Best of all, it’s quick and easy and we know you’ll enjoy every bite. It's the best tomato soup ever!
What you need
- canned tomatoes: The best canned tomatoes for homemade tomato soup are whole, peeled, San Marzano tomatoes. If you can’t find this particular type of tomato, use canned plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.
- baking soda: A small amount of baking soda cuts the acidity of the tomatoes which in turn helps mask the canned flavor.
- cinnamon: A pinch of cinnamon also helps to hide the canned flavor of the tomatoes. Make sure you only use a pinch, less than ⅛ teaspoon, to avoid over seasoning it. You should barely be able to taste the cinnamon.
- onions: Yellow or white onions are best for tomato soup.
- fresh garlic: Fresh garlic can be substituted with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Add more to taste.
- chicken stock: Vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken stock to make this a vegetarian or vegan tomato soup recipe.
- uncooked white rice: A couple of tablespoons of uncooked rice are simmered along with the other ingredients. As they cook, the starches in the rice are released, creating a silky smooth soup once pureed.
- seasonings: The soup is lightly seasoned with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- butter/olive oil: The combination of these two fats keeps the smoking point down, allowing you to cook at higher temperatures when sautéing. It also gives the soup a rich buttery flavor. Vegan butter can be substituted.
How to make it
Canned tomatoes are simmered with onions, garlic and a few other ingredients and then blended into the most delicious tomato soup you've ever tasted!
Step 1: Melt the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes, until they are softened.
Step 2: Add the garlic, basil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and cinnamon, stir and cook for 1 additional minute.
Step 3: Carefully stir in the tomatoes, rice and chicken stock. Cover the pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 4: Add the baking soda and then use an immersion blender to puree the ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately topped with homemade croutons and shredded cheese or with the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. We love to enjoy this soup with Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits.
Can I use fresh tomatoes?
If you wish to use fresh tomatoes, you will need about 2 pounds. Roast them before making the soup for even more flavor. Cut each tomato in half and drizzle with olive oil on a baking sheet. Roast the tomatoes for 40 minutes at 400°F then proceed with the recipe.
How to store it
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze homemade tomato soup, allow it to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. The soup can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.
Tomato soup is best reheated in a saucepan over low heat but it can also be reheated in a microwave.
More easy comfort food recipes
We are sharing all of our favorite comfort food recipes with you. Make sure to check them out for big bowl of coziness!
Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 leaves basil (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional: helps mask the "canned" taste)
- 2 cups (480 g) chicken stock (vegetable stock or water)
- 1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano or plum tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons uncooked white rice (optional: helps thicken soup)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional: cuts acidity in tomatoes)
Garnishes
- homemade croutons
- shredded cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes or until they are softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic, basil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and cinnamon and cook while stirring for 1 additional minute.
- Carefully stir in the canned tomatoes, rice and chicken stock. Cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add the baking soda and stir. The soup will fizz and bubble which will subside quickly.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the ingredients until smooth. The soup can also be carefully poured into a stand blender to puree and transferred back into the pan to keep warm. Serve immediately topped with croutons and shredded cheese.
NOTES
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze tomato soup, allow it to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. The soup can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.
- Tomato soup is best reheated in a saucepan over low heat but it can also be reheated in a microwave.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on Amy in the Kitchen.
