The Best Classic Tomato Soup (2024)

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4.79 stars (108 ratings)

Oct 21, 2020121

Easy and fast, this is the best classic tomato soup recipe ever! It’s been a tried-and-true favorite for years. With grilled cheese? YUM!

Everyone needs a classic homemade tomato soup recipe in their back pocket, and this one is incredible!

We eat this tomato soup several times a month. Because a) homemade tomato soup is really good and really easy and b) grilled cheese.

Is there any better combo than that?? At least in our house, there are never any complaints when tomato soup + grilled cheese appear at dinner.

This tomato soup is super simple! It can be made several days ahead of time AND it freezes great, too.

Canned Tomatoes: Keep an Open Mind

What I love about this tomato soup is that it uses pantry staple ingredients like canned tomatoes.

Don’t be hatin’ on canned tomatoes.They make really amazing tomato soup and are available all year long!

The key to this recipe is to drain the juice from the diced tomatoes. You’ll use both the juice AND the tomatoes, but separating them helps build layers of flavor as you’ll see in a minute.

Cooking the drained tomatoes with the onions and simple seasonings until the mixture is thick and fragrant adds flavor and eliminates the “tinny” taste of canned tomatoes.

The rich tomato flavor is also helped along by a little bit of tomato paste. It’s amazing how it helps boost the tomato flavor!

The cooked tomato mixture simmers for a couple of minutes with a little broth and then it’s time to blend it all up!

How to Blend

You can use an immersion blender or traditional blender for this recipe.There are pros and cons to each one.

Using an immersion blender means you can blend the tomato soup right on location and not worry about venting the lid of a traditional blender while you risk life and limb to puree lava-like liquids.

Cleanup is also a little easier with an immersion blender.

However, I’ve found that an immersion blender doesn’t get the soup as pristinely smooth as a traditional blender does, so if you want it ultra-silky and smooth, you might want to transfer it in batches to a blender and puree that way.

*This is the immersion blender I have (and might be why it doesn’t get really smooth; it’s decent, but older) – this one has a bazillion more reviews and is cheaper? Might be a good option. {aff. links}

Creamy Tomato Soup…Or Not

After the soup is blended, you can add a smidgeon of half-and-half or heavy cream for a cream of tomato soup vibe.

It adds a delicious, mellow vibe to the vibrant soup.

Usually I leave it out and add a little swirl of cream to individual servings of those that want it.

If you don’t have a go-to tomato soup recipe yet, this really is the best classic tomato soup recipe. I highly recommend making it yours forever!

Here are a few rave reviews from others:

Heidi: Mel, this tomato soup is delicious. Have a half dozen recipes for tomato soup and this is the best by far.

Kate:We love this soup and have made it over and over. If anyone’s wondering, coconut cream (from the top of a can of coconut milk) makes a great dairy-free substitute for the cream in this recipe.

Megan:I just made this for dinner tonight (along with grilled cheese), and my kids declared it the best tomato soup I’ve ever made. And I’ve made many different tomato soup recipes.

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Classic Tomato Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

4.79 stars (108 ratings)

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Ingredients

2 cans (28-ounces each) diced tomatoes
¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth, more or less (I use low sodium)
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup diced onion, about 1 medium onion
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda (see note)
Salt and pepper
½ cup heavy cream or fat free half-and-half, optional

Instructions

In a strainer set over a large bowl or a liquid measuring cup, drain the canned tomatoes, pressing lightly to release all of the juice. You may have anywhere from 2-3 cups juice from the tomatoes (depending on the brand).
Add broth to the tomato juice to equal 3 1/2 cups total. Set tomatoes and liquid aside.
In a 4- or 5-quart pot set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add about 2/3 of the drained tomatoes, the bay leaf and the brown sugar. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are sizzling and fragrant. The mixture will be thicken as it cooks.
Stir in the tomato paste and the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the reserved tomato juice/broth mixture, the remaining tomatoes, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Puree the soup until smooth (using an immersion blender or transferring the soup in batches to a regular blender). Stir in the cream, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

Baking Soda: the baking soda cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and mellows out the flavor.

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Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country Feb/Mar 2011
Recipe originally published Oct 2012; updated Oct 2020 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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posted on October 21, 2020 (last updated April 3, 2024)

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4.79 from 108 votes (79 ratings without comment)

121 comments on “The Best Classic Tomato Soup”

Debbie McMurry — February 7, 2024 @ 5:07 pm Reply
Very good and so easy I will not buy tomato soup anymore I will make this! Thanks
Shayna — January 14, 2024 @ 5:55 pm Reply
AMAZING! Best tomato soup I’ve ever had! Family is raving about it too! This is definitely a keeper! Wow! Must try this recipe!
Aubrey Norby — October 10, 2023 @ 10:06 am Reply
Can this recipe be modified to use fresh tomatoes? I have a big bag of Roma tomatoes that I don’t want to go to waste. Please let me know how you would do this if you have the chance. Thank you!
- Mel — October 10, 2023 @ 9:56 pm Reply
  I haven’t tried it, but I think it definitely could. I’d suggest using about 4 pounds fresh tomatoes, removing the skins, dicing and then using in the recipe in place of the diced tomatoes. You might need/want to cook the tomatoes a bit longer in the first step. Good luck if you try it!
  - Aubrey Norby — October 11, 2023 @ 8:05 pm Reply
    Thank you so much for this added guidance! I ended up using half fresh tomatoes and half canned because that’s the amount I had. The fresh tomatoes were definitely more work, but it turned out delicious and I am glad that I was able to use the tomatoes and they didn’t go to waste.
Sarah — December 26, 2022 @ 1:56 pm Reply
Echoing the other reviews, excellent recipe! Left out the sugar and I can’t tell.
Thanks Mel!
Selena — November 16, 2022 @ 4:40 pm Reply
This tomato soup is DELICIOUS!!! Only thing I added was chopped basil to garnish at the end. My son hates tomatoes, hates tomato sauce, and even he LOVED this soup! Served it with a grilled cheese (kids) and garlic bread (adults). A keeper for sure!!! TY!
Irene — November 12, 2022 @ 7:58 am Reply
See Also
Toxic Beans
WOW…. Soooooo good.
10+ stars
Tracy — October 25, 2022 @ 2:40 pm Reply
I’ve been making this for the family for at least 2 years now, maybe three. Hands down the best classic tomato soup recipe. I make it as written. This last batch is the first time I tried adding half and half and now I’m not sure which one I like better. You can’t go wrong with this recipe.
Nancy — October 11, 2022 @ 1:14 pm Reply
This is my first time making this wonderful soup this season – but probably the 50th time I have made it. It’s so delicious! I always double the recipe and put some in the freezer. Spend the money and use a quality brand of diced tomatoes – it makes all the difference.
Ann Federwisch — September 15, 2022 @ 4:48 pm Reply
Delicious . I have made it twice now and it turned out great. Thanks, Mel.
Tammie — April 7, 2022 @ 2:36 pm Reply
Perfect for our cold rainy day in Maine! Delish and will be my go to for tomato soup!
Monica — January 17, 2022 @ 1:03 pm Reply
My go-to tomato soup! Great recipe, thanks!!
Lisa Smith — November 14, 2021 @ 5:12 pm Reply
Delicious! This was my first time making tomato soup…. and I’ve never blended soup before. It turned out so well. I will definitely make this again!
Stefanie — October 20, 2021 @ 7:49 am Reply
Made this last night, and it was so good! Both my girls loved it. Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe.
fmandds — October 2, 2021 @ 2:48 pm Reply
We make this soup many times a year. It is our favorite soup to make. White Chicken Chili comes in second. I once forgot to remove the bay leaf and I pureed the soup and everyone had bits of bay leaf in the soup. It is a running joke now to say “remove the bay leaf” every time I make it.
I am commenting now, I may have already commented many years ago, because I wanted to let people know that the recipe is easily adaptable. My sister recently has had onions become inedible to her and we omit the onions for her. Soup still tastes great. I didn’t have tomato paste, so I just skipped that step and the soup still tasted great. The pureed bay leaf soup still tasted great. I used whole tomatoes once and just “squeezed” each tomato in the straining step. Still tasted great. It is just a winner of soup and method of cooking.
Katrina — March 14, 2021 @ 6:29 pm Reply
Mel,
Any chance you know how many cups this makes? I have to have 3 gallons of soup for a RS dinner and this was what I was going to make.
- Mel — March 15, 2021 @ 2:20 pm Reply
  It makes about 9-10 cups.
Brandy — December 18, 2020 @ 5:50 pm Reply
I used half fire-roasted tomatoes and half regular. My husband wasn’t too excited about tomato soup since he typically doesn’t like it, but he jumped right in after taking his first bite!
Amelia — November 16, 2020 @ 12:49 pm Reply
This was delicious!!!
James — November 15, 2020 @ 6:05 am Reply
Wow! This is so good! I only wish I’d doubled the recipe now because I want to eat it all week. Best tomato soup I’ve ever had.
- Mel — November 16, 2020 @ 11:22 am Reply
  Thanks for letting me know that, James! Super happy you loved this so much!
Taraleigh — November 7, 2020 @ 1:11 am Reply
Wowzers! This soup is SO SO good! I have tried other tomato soup recipes in the past and I eventually gave up on homemade tomato soup because they were never good. Decided to try this tonight last minute because it was simple and all the ingredients are ones I always have on hand. Wow! I have never had a better tomato soup in my life!! The taste, texture, everything was amazing! My kids gobbled it all up to my surprise! I will be making this again and again!
PS, I made the soup with your homemade pretzels and it was the perfect combo! My kids and husband were thrilled with dinner! Thank you Mel for the always amazing recipes!!
- Mel — November 9, 2020 @ 3:17 pm Reply
  Thank you for the comment! I’m so excited this soup is what you’ve been looking for – made me happy to read that!
Valerie — November 5, 2020 @ 11:09 am Reply
Mel,
I’ve been a regular to your blog for years. I don’t reply often. But I make quite a few of your recipes. At least once a week because they become favorites.
But you have a great recipe here! I’ve tried a fair number of homemade tomato soups. None were keepers. I always have cans of tomatoes but I run out of condensed soups.
The baking soda is the real tip!
Thanks
- Mel — November 6, 2020 @ 4:39 pm Reply
  Thank you so much, Valerie!
Cindy — November 4, 2020 @ 12:55 pm Reply
Made this last night and it was soooo flavorful and delicious! Thanks Mel!
- Mel — November 4, 2020 @ 10:28 pm Reply
  Thank YOU, Cindy!
Lisa — October 29, 2020 @ 12:21 pm Reply
I feel like I have been searching for this recipe my whole life. Thank you so much for the baking soda tip. It makes all the difference.
- Mel — November 2, 2020 @ 11:34 am Reply
  Thanks Lisa!
Cindy Stephenson — October 28, 2020 @ 7:08 pm Reply
The recipe is fabulous. It may be the best I have ever had. I did not deviate from the recipe but, I did add about 1/4 up finely chopped fresh basil. Next time I will double or triple the recipe and freeze pan some
- Mel — November 2, 2020 @ 11:36 am Reply
  Fresh basil would be amazing in this! Thanks, Cindy!
Kaylie — October 26, 2020 @ 10:26 am Reply
Have you ever used coconut milk in place of heavy cream/half and half for this recipe? I have an open can that I used to make your lentil soup with lemon and this looks good too
- Mel — October 26, 2020 @ 11:44 am Reply
  No, but if you like the flavor of coconut milk, it’s worth a try!
Kate — October 24, 2020 @ 3:15 pm Reply
I was just going to check your website for a tomato soup recipe. You beat me to it!! We made it today. It was super easy to pull together, and turned out as good as advertised. We all gave it a good crack of salt + heavy cream, and it was delish with our cheese bread.
- Mel — October 26, 2020 @ 11:48 am Reply
  Thanks, Kate – glad you liked it!
Lynette Walbom — October 22, 2020 @ 8:13 am Reply
I have made this recipe for several years from your old post and it is my FAVORITE tomato soup recipe of all time! All my kids love it and now I need to make it again after seeing your new post! Thanks for all your great recipes!
- Mel — October 22, 2020 @ 12:37 pm Reply
  Thanks, Lynette!
mschray — October 21, 2020 @ 1:07 pm Reply
Hi Mel,
What brand of canned tomato’s do you use for this soup?
Thank you.
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:50 pm Reply
  I’ve used a lot of brands over the years. Hunts, San Marzano, generic brand. I think they all work great.
Stephanie — October 21, 2020 @ 12:39 pm Reply
I was just curious if you have ever added some parmesan cheese and some basil? I am sure it is good as is but I was thinking “what if?”.
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:50 pm Reply
  That would be delicious!
LaVonne — October 21, 2020 @ 11:39 am Reply
Have you ever used cans of whole tomatoes? Wondering if it would work as well if I chopped up the whole tomatoes first? Any thoughts?
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:50 pm Reply
  I haven’t, but I bet it would work just fine!
NAnderson — October 21, 2020 @ 10:42 am Reply
After making your tomato potato basil soup I’ve taken to adding one cooked sweet potato to this tomato soup. You can’t taste it but it add a little something extra!
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:50 pm Reply
  Fantastic idea, Nancy!
Megan — October 21, 2020 @ 9:46 am Reply
This is hands down my family’s favorite tomato soup ever, and I’ve tried many different recipes. When I make tomato soup now, they always ask if it’s the “good recipe.” I don’t dare make anything else!
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:51 pm Reply
  Haha, I have a lot of recipes like that. It would be mutiny if I tried a different version!
emily — October 21, 2020 @ 9:25 am Reply
You’re right— this IS the best tomato soup recipe! The extra step of sautéing the tomatoes makes a huge difference in flavor.
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:51 pm Reply
  I agree, Emily! Totally worth that step.
Anna — October 21, 2020 @ 9:23 am Reply
I have that second immersion blender. Put it on my wedding registry last year because it had so many positive reviews on Amazon and the low price. I haven’t tried tomato soup with it – but I will say it’s very powerful. I’ve accidentally obliterated things a couple times with it! (Broccoli cheese soup became full on green!) Also I’m not much of a tomato soup fan – but I did have some earlier this week that was fairly tasty. It had basil and crushed red pepper – so I might try this and add on a little of those things!
- Mel — October 21, 2020 @ 4:51 pm Reply
  Haha, that’s awesome about the blender! Sounds like it’s more powerful than the one I currently have. Basil and crushed red pepper would be a delicious addition!
Jan Painter — August 29, 2020 @ 10:09 am Reply
I’ve been looking for a different tomato soup recipe for a while. I have two I’ve made in the past many times and thought they were good. We love your Best Ever Spaghetti Sauce and knew I could take a chance on your recipe Mel. I always follow a new recipe perfectly the first time I make it. However I did make one minor change and added two cloves minced garlic to the softened onions. This was the only change. Cannot believe how fantastic this soup is! I will change nothing else except to add garlic going forward. My search is now over and I have the perfect tomato soup recipe!
Thank you!
Jan
- Mel — September 1, 2020 @ 8:56 pm Reply
  Thanks, Jan!