Lunch · American
Creamy Tomato Soup
Smooth tomato soup made from canned whole tomatoes, onion and garlic, finished with cream and basil. About 40 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- about 6 cups
- Level
- Easy
Good canned tomatoes make better soup than out-of-season fresh ones, and this is a soup you can make any month of the year.
A teaspoon of sugar is optional. Add it only if your tomatoes taste sharp after simmering.
Recipe card
Creamy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Quantities are scaled. Amounts mentioned in the steps refer to the original 4 servings. Tips for scaling.
Equipment
- Large saucepan or Dutch oven
- Immersion or countertop blender
Instructions
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with a spoon, then the broth and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. If you use a countertop blender, fill it no more than half full, remove the centre cap of the lid and cover the opening with a folded towel so steam can escape.
Return the soup to low heat and stir in the cream. Taste, and add the sugar and more salt if needed. Do not let it boil after adding the cream.
Serve topped with torn basil.
Times are estimates. Status: Awaiting kitchen test (what this means).
Nutrition is not listed. We publish nutrition only after calculating it from a recognised food-composition database.
Gluten-free: none of the ingredients as written contain gluten. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, check the labels on packaged ingredients for gluten or cross-contact warnings.
Tips for success
- Hot liquids expand in a sealed blender and can force the lid off. Always vent the lid and blend in batches.
Substitutions
- Heavy cream
- Full-fat coconut milk, or leave it out for a lighter, brighter soup.
- Butter
- Olive oil.
Storage and make-ahead
Fridge
Keeps 4 days in a covered container.
Freezer
Freeze for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze before adding the cream and stir it in when reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring, until steaming.
Make ahead
Make it up to 3 days ahead.
Questions and troubleshooting
Is this soup gluten-free?
The ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Some vegetable broths contain gluten, so check the label if you need to avoid it.
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