The Best Tomato Soup {Easier Than Ever}
This quick and easy homemade tomato soup recipe uses pantry staples for a flavorful, not-too-acidic soup that is smooth and creamy.
We love, love, love homemade tomato soup with buttery, crispy, melty grilled cheese for dipping. It’s one of my kids’ favorite dinners! This has become our go-to tomato soup recipe. It comes together fast and is incredibly delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Soup Recipe
I have several tomato soup recipes living on this website. All are delicious, but this recipe takes home the award for best tomato soup recipe for all of the following reasons:
- The recipe comes together quickly. It can be made in 30 to 40 minutes and doesn’t require any fussy or long cooking steps.
- It calls for all pantry-staple ingredients. The ingredients are basic and easy to keep on hand so you can enjoy this tomato soup year-round.
- The flavors are impeccably balanced. The tart tomatoes are balanced by the other ingredients so that the flavor is not overly acidic.
- The texture is smooth and creamy. Blend the soup to your own personal preferred consistency. We prefer it ultra-smooth, but you can leave it a bit more chunky if you like!
- It can be made ahead of time and freezes well. Details on how to freeze and make ahead are below! ⬇️
Ingredients for Homemade Tomato Soup
While the ingredients for this tomato soup are very basic, here are a few additional tips to make sure the taste and texture of the soup are spot on.
- Butter: I always use salted butter. You can sub olive oil in for the butter (although the butter does give a better, richer flavor).
- Onions: White or yellow onions can be used. Make sure to cook the onions until thoroughly softened and lightly browned for the best flavor.
- Canned tomatoes: Whole, diced or crushed tomatoes can be used in this recipe. Different brands or varieties of tomatoes will vary in acidity. My favorite tomatoes to use in this soup are San Marzano tomatoes, and I highly recommend them if you can find them (Costco in my area carries them).
- Broth: I prefer using chicken broth or stock; however, vegetable broth can be subbed in for a vegetarian version (I don’t recommend using beef broth or stock).
- Brown sugar: A little bit of brown sugar enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes and helps balance the flavors in the soup.
- Dried basil:
- Baking soda: This is one of the most important ingredients in the soup. The baking soda mellows the bright acidity of the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream: This ingredient adds a hint of creaminess while also leveling out the sweet and tangy ingredients so they blend well together.
Remember to taste the soup at the end and add additional salt and pepper, if needed! It’s possible, depending on the type of tomatoes and broth used that the soup may need a few minor seasoning adjustments, which can make all the difference in the final product.
A Few Additional Notes
- Make-ahead: Refrigerate the soup (for up to four days) or freeze (for several months). The flavors get even better with time!
- Slow Cooker: To make this soup in the slow cooker, cook the onions in butter in a skillet and scrape into a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the heavy cream) and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Blend. Return the soup to the slow cooker and stir in the heavy cream and heat through before serving. Depending on how your slow cooker cooks, it’s possible you might need to add a bit more broth as it cooks if liquid evaporates while cooking.
- Non-Reactive Pot: It’s important to use a non-reactive pot for tomato-based soups like this one. Stainless steel or enameled cast iron pots are best (avoid copper or aluminum pans).
Nothing beats a toasty grilled cheese sandwich dipped in rich, creamy tomato soup. This easy homemade tomato soup is the best I’ve ever had.
Even my one child who is lackluster in her love of tomatoes loves this soup. It’s a winner, and I hope you love it, too!
The Best Tomato Soup {Easier Than Ever}
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow or white onion (from 1 large onion)
- 2 cans (28-ounces each) whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes (see note)
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Pinch black pepper
- ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
Optional Garnishes:
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Croutons
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium heat in a stainless or enameled cast iron pot (see note). Add the onion and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened and lightly browned.
- Add the tomatoes (don't drain before adding), broth, brown sugar, basil, baking soda, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Off the heat, use an immersion blender to puree the soup (alternately, the soup can be ladled into a blender and processed until smooth – don't over fill the blender and make sure to vent the lid to allow steam to escape).
- Stir the heavy cream into the soup. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve warm. Garnish with croutons and Parmesan cheese and/or serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Wow, wow, wow! I’m not sure what about this makes it so amazing, but this tomato soup is incredible! It is made of such simple ingredients, but is fabulous! I’m making this as a freezer meal to take to someone, so they can heat it when it’s convenient for them. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Have you made this recipe with garden tomatoes? I froze a bunch that didn’t get canned and I’m thinking of using them in this soup.
I haven’t, but I think it should work great…just use the equivalent of the 28-ounce can of tomatoes (maybe a bit more if they are fairly watery out of the freezer).
This is indeed the best tomato soup. I have made gallons of it over the years and it never disappoints!
Mel,
You are so sweet….I, too, am looking forward to spending 2026 with you! Your posts are a bright spot in my day as I always look forward to reading them with my morning coffee. Today did not disappoint. Reading your Tomato Soup recipe brought a fond, fond memory to my heart. It calls for baking soda to neutralize the acid of the tomatoes. When my nonna made her marinara she finished it with a pinch of baking soda and let my brother and I do the stirring. We never failed to get the giggles as it began to bubble up in the pan like a science experiment. I will be making your soup and thank you for another “keeper” recipe.
Patti R
A fan in Kansas
PS…On another note wish me luck. I, too, do not care for jogging. My son has twice finished an Ironman triathlon. He has introduced me to rucking (walking with weight in a rucksack). It’s like jogging for people who don’t like to jog. We’ll see!
Patti – Good luck from a Mel’s fan in Canada! And if you don’t like the feel of the rucksack, try it with one of those weighted vests if possible – it would distribute the weight more comfortably (unburdens the shoulders).
Thanks for sharing that, Patti! What a fun memory with your nonna. I love that so much. Also, your son is amazing! Two Ironman triathlons – wow!