There is nothing more classic than a bowl of Tomato Soup and a grilled cheese dipped in it. Learn how to make tomato soup that’s flavorful and comforting. It’s a homemade soup recipe but will take only 30 minutes using simple ingredients!
Classic tomato soup is perfect for fall and winter evenings when you need something to warm you right up. Even if you’re coming home after a long day, the classic combination of soup and grilled cheese will turn your day around. It’s so simple to make and won’t take long. So you will be enjoying a heartwarming dinner in no time.
This silky smooth soup is a childhood classic that we fall in love with at the first bite and keep loving forever. It’s simple, easy, no extra bells and whistles needed, and the best part is that kids and adult love this soup. So in about 30 minutes, you can have a delicious dinner for the whole family.
Plus, you probably already have everything you need to make this homemade soup recipe!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Butter – use unsalted butter that way you have full control over the amount of salt in the soup. You can also use lactose-free or vegan butter instead of regular.
Sweet onion – This helps balance the bitterness and acidity from the tomatoes, but a regular yellow onion can be used as well. Be sure to taste the soup and adjust the sugar accordingly.
All-purpose flour – Replace with your favorite brand of gluten free all-purpose flour if needed.
Canned tomatoes – Using canned tomatoes saves time and actually has a different flavor from fresh tomatoes. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, you would have to slow-cook the soup much longer before blending it. I would recommend cooking it for about an hour, covered, over low heat.
Tomato paste – this will give the soup a bolder tomato taste that is more pronounced.
Stock – Traditionally, this soup is made with chicken stock, and you can use store-bought or homemade depending on which is easier. Or, use vegetable stock to make this recipe vegetarian.
Seasoning – a little sugar is a great thing to add to tomato soups and sauces because it will balance out the acidity of tomatoes. After that, all you need is a little salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. If you don’t have fresh thyme, feel free to use dried but half the amount.
How to use fresh tomatoes in this recipe
While tomato peels create a more intense flavor, removing them will your soup a smoother consistency. The easiest way to do this is to blanch and peel them as follows:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath, which is just a bowl of cold water and ice.
Meanwhile, use a paring knife to make a small “x” on the bottom of each tomato.
Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes and let them cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the skin starts to peel back.
Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer into the ice bath.
After about a minute, drain the tomatoes and slip the skins off starting where you scored them with an “x.”
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SOUP
It’s as simple as saute and simmer the ingredients in stages to maximize their flavor. Then all you have to do is blend the soup until smooth and make a grilled cheese.
Nothing goes better with tomato soup than a delicious grilled cheese sandwich, but a green salad with a vinaigrette would taste great too.
KITCHEN TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
Dutch oven – This distributes heat most evenly, but any heavy-bottom pot will work as well.
Cooking spoon
Immersion blender – I love this tool because it means that there are less dishes to wash, since I can blend the soup right in the pot. If you don’t have one, use a food processor or high-speed blender instead.
Measuring spoons
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the vegetables and add stock.
Next, add diced onion and saute until softened, stirring occasionally. The onion will become translucent with golden edges. Then, add the garlic, cooking just until fragrant.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and mix until all of the onions are coated in flour. Make sure to stir continuously so the flour doesn’t burn and the onions stay separated.
Then, slowly pour in the stock while stirring continuously. This helps dissolve the flour and prevents clumping. Just make sure to pour slowly and stir at the same time.
3. Add tomatoes and seasonings, then simmer.
Then, add the entire can of tomatoes with the juices and the tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined and add the remaining seasonings.
Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Blend the soup.
Once cooked, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer everything to a food processor or high-speed blender, blending in batches as needed.
STORING AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS
Storage – Transfer leftover soup into a jar or other airtight food storage container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing – For best safety practices, cool the soup quickly by placing the pot into an ice bath and stirring it occasionally until it is cool. (Or, allow the soup to cool completely at room temperature for no more than two hours.) Then place in an airtight, freezer friendly container, leaving some room for the soup to expand, and store in the freeze for up to 3 months. You can also transfer cooled soup into a freezer zip-top bag and freeze it in the bag.
Defrost – Pull the bag or a container out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Slow-thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating – For the best consistency, heat this homemade tomato soup on the stove while stirring occasionally. You can also microwave it in increments of about 45 seconds and stirring in between until warmed through.
MORE HOMEMADE SOUP RECIPES TO MAKE:
While they may seem simple, tomato soups can have a range of complex flavors depending on how they’re made. Here are some other recipes that use a variety of different ingredients and seasonings:
Tomato Basil Soup – Fresh basil and a combination of canned and fresh tomatoes creates a lovely depth of flavor in this recipe. Enjoy as-is or make a creamy version instead.
Zucchini Tomato Soup – This soup is loaded with extra veggies that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy!
Tomato Bisque – A twist on the classic tomato soup, this recipe uses both heavy cream and a roux to create a thicker, creamier consistency.
Tomato Soup with Gnocchi – The addition of pillowy gnocchi makes this soup extra filling and the perfect comfort food for cold winter nights.
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Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 1 large garlic clove
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour can use gluten free flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock warmed
- 28 oz canned whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a Dutch oven or another heavy bottom pot over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
- Once butter is melted, add diced onion and saute until softened.
- Sprinkle flour over the onion and mix until onions are coated in flour.
- Keep slowly stirring the onions and start pouring in stock. Keep stirring and pouring as it mixes.
- Add the entire can of whole tomatoes (don't drain) and tomato paste. Stir and add remaining seasoning.
- Lower heat to medium-low and let the soup cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- To blend the soup, you can use an immersion blender or transfer it into a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Serve with grilled cheese, crackers, or a slice of bread.
Video
Nutrition
Larry Downs says
We made the tomato soup tonight for dinner. When adding the thyme we thought that the measurement was backward as dried is normally stronger than fresh. We used only 1/2 tspn dried and it was enough. Any more and I think it would have been too strong.