There is nothing more comforting than a delicious bowl of creamy homemade tomato basil soup. This easy tomato soup tastes nothing at all like soup you get in a can and everyone always loves it. This recipe is made with canned tomatoes, stock, basil and aromatics and it is so warming and delicious.
I love when it is cool enough to make this tomato basil soup because it warms you like no other food can. It has nostalgic memories of childhood especially when grilled cheese or cheese crostini is made with it for dipping.
Making homemade tomato soup is actually very easy and it is completely customizable to your taste.
This quick tomato soup recipe is really simple to make and it utilizes canned tomatoes and chicken stock which are probably already in your pantry so it can be made year round! I love having canned tomatoes on hand not just for this soup but lots of my pasta dishes like my pork bolognese or cherry tomato pasta. I also always have a container or two of chicken stock for other soups that I love making.
Here are all the ingredients to make this easy tomato soup:
- Canned whole tomatoes. Any variety will do (Italian, plum, whole tomatoes, etc).
- Fresh Basil
- Chicken stock. You can also use vegetable stock if you want to make this dish vegetarian.
- Kosher salt.
- Garlic.
- Shallot.
- Olive Oil.
- Dried Oregano. Optional but it does lend a bit of background flavor.
How to make this really easy tomato soup:
- In a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat, sauté your shallots and garlic until soft.
- Next add your salt.
- Now add your chicken stock and canned tomatoes.
- Break up the tomatoes and stir well.
- Add your seasonings (oregano, basil, salt and pepper).
- Simmer for a few minutes.
- Take half of your soup and add it to a high speed blender. (If you prefer it extra creamy add all of your soup in batches to the blender and blend until smooth.)
- Mix it until smooth then add it back to the remaining soup in the pot.
- Add your cream and mix well.
- Taste for any additional salt that is needed.
Pro-Tip: You can double this recipe and have extra for another night. This soup freezes well too. I have included instructions for how to do this below in the recipe section.
Making a Creamy Tomato Soup:
Now I like a little texture in my tomato soup so this tomato soup recipe is part creamy and part chunky. If you prefer a totally creamy tomato soup then you can blend all of the soup in your blender in batches until all of it is fully blended and smooth. You can also add about a half cup more of the heavy cream to make it even creamier and more decadent.
What To Serve With This Tomato Soup:
Now let's talk about that delicious cheesy crostini that you see in the pictures with the tomato soup. Nothing is more nostalgic than cheese bread of some variety with tomato soup. This cheese crostini is my more grown up version of the classic grilled cheese and my favorite thing to serve with this soup.
I had originally only had the tomato soup recipe but I have gotten so many requests for the crostini recipe that I am adding it below and to the recipe section. This cheesy crostini is to die for!
You can also skip the cheese part and make a crusty oregano crostini to dip into the soup. If you prefer a side dish to go along with this soup, then this warm arugula salad would be great.
Here is how to make the cheesy crostini:
- Slice up some good quality baguette or Italian bread.
- Drizzle it with olive oil.
- Place under the broiler for 3 minutes or so a side until the bread is nice and browned.
- Remove from the oven.
- Rub the crostini with a fresh clove of garlic.
- Sprinkle a little kosher salt.
- Add shredded gruyere and Parmesan to the tops of the bread.
- Place back into the oven under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes until the cheese is just melted.
- Serve immediately with your tomato soup.
For more tomato recipes:
- Tomato Rubbed Crostini
- Homemade Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
- Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa
- Salsa Criolla with Flank Steak
- Vegetable Soup With Cabbage
- Italian Baked Zucchini
- Easy 30 Minutes Marinara Sauce
Easy Homemade Tomato Basil Soup
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Equipment
- large pot, blender
Ingredients
Tomato Soup
- 2 28 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 cloves of garlic diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 5 leaves of fresh basil plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 32 ounces large container of good chicken stock
Cheesy Crostini
- 1 loaf of good quality Italian bread or a baguette
- 6 ounces grated gruyere cheese
- 3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- kosher salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Tomato soup
- In a large pot over medium heat add your olive oil and shallot and sauté for about 2 minutes.1 shallot diced, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Add ½ of your salt to sweat out the juices in the shallots.
- Now add your garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.2 cloves of garlic diced
- Next, add your chicken stock and stir well.32 ounces large container of good chicken stock
- Now add your canned tomatoes, basil, oregano and the rest of your salt and your pepper and mix well.2 28 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 5 leaves of fresh basil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Let simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Now, carefully take a potato masher and mash done the large chinks of tomato. You can also do this with the back of a spoon.
- Do this until most of the tomatoes has been crushed up and there are no more large tomatoes left.
- Now, take half of your soup mixture and add it to a blender and secure the lid tightly. Take a kitchen towel and place over the lid of your blender. Pulse on medium speed to puree the mixture. Note: Make sure you do not fill the blender to the top because hot liquids expand when you start the blender. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
- Now add your pureed mixture back into the pot and mix it in with the soup that wasn't pureed. This will give you a creamy soup with some texture. Note: If you like a fully creamy soup, just puree all of your soup in batches in the blender
- Now add your heavy cream and mix well.½ cup heavy cream
- Taste for seasoning and add any salt or pepper that you need.
- Serve immediately with grilled cheese, homemade croutons or crusty bread. Garnish with fresh basil
Cheesy Crostini
- Pre-heat your broiler to high heat.
- Slice up some good quality baguette or Italian bread.1 loaf of good quality Italian bread or a baguette
- Drizzle it with olive oil.4 tablespoon olive oil
- Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or so a side until the bread is nice and browned on both sides.
- Remove from the oven and rub one side of the crostini with a fresh clove of garlic.1 clove of garlic
- Sprinkle a little kosher salt.kosher salt for sprinkling
- Evenly add shredded gruyere and Parmesan to the tops of the bread.6 ounces grated gruyere cheese, 3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- Place back into the oven under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes until the cheese is just melted.
- Remove from the oven and plate.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Marsha says
I love it. It was savory and not sweet which I like. Some tomato soup recipes are too sweet but this was perfect.
Jill says
We really enjoyed this tomato soup and love that it could be made with canned tomatoes. I blended it until completely smooth and it was delicious. Made some grilled cheese as a side too!