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This homemade tomato soup recipe is no frills! Simple ingredients to recreate the nostalgic taste of the tomato soup we grew up with.
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Homemade Tomato Soup: Nostalgia at Its Finest.
I’m not sure there’s anything that calls to our childhood more than a cozy bowl of tomato soup.
Like most, I grew up on the canned variation. And honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It worked for us.
But there’s no denying that blending your own tomato soup makes the flavors POP. We get the same cozy feel with a much richer flavor.
Plus, you can control the texture for your preference. Some like their tomato soup a bit pulpy while others prefer it to be velvety smooth.
With my tomato soup recipe, you can have it either way.
Is Tomato Soup Good for You?
It sure is good for the soul, so I say YES.
On a serious note though, this tomato soup recipe has a lot to offer. Sure, there’s a bit of cream drizzled into it. But aside from that you’re getting a healthy dose of lycopene, flavonoids, vitamins C and E, and other antioxidants.
So don’t let that indulgent drizzle of cream deter you!
Only Unfussy Ingredients Here!
This homemade tomato soup doesn’t get fancy, my friends. There’s no addition of roasted red peppers or basil or anything of that sort.
This recipe is no frills and as close as possible to the tomato soup we grew up on.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter
- Vidalia or sweet onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Canned diced or crushed tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Heavy cream
- Sugar
- Dried oregano
- Sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
Here’s the Gist on How to Make Tomato Soup.
- Melt butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir it all up every now and then to avoid burning.
- Pop the tomatoes (and their juices!) into the pot along with the vegetable broth, heavy cream, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and once you reach a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- There are two ways you can blend the soup—with an immersion blender or with a powerful blender. An immersion blender is the quicker way to go and will result in a lightly textured soup with a slight pulpiness, whereas using a good blender will blend your soup into a smooth velvety mixture. So go based on your preference.
- Once the soup is blended, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. (Does your soup taste acidic? See the recipe tips + tricks below for an easy solution.)
Useful Tools for This Recipe:
- Stock pot or Dutch oven
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Garlic press
- Immersion blender or powerful blender
- Stirring spoon or spatula
Recipe Tips + Tricks.
- If the soup tastes overly acidic, bring it to a simmer and stir in about a teaspoon of baking soda. The soup will foam and fizz as the baking soda alkalizes the acid from the tomatoes. Some canned tomatoes are more acidic than others, so this isn’t always necessary, but it’s a great trick to have up your sleeve!
- If you want a very smooth tomato soup, be sure to use a high-powered blender like this one. Using an immersion blender or even a food processor will still leave you with a bit of texture/pulpy bits.
- This soup will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
- You can also freeze homemade tomato soup! Just store the soup in a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for up to 6 months.
- To amp things up, garnish your bowl of soup with an extra drizzle of cream, crushed crackers, croutons, and/or fresh herbs.
Have You Made This Recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR rating & commenting below with feedback!
You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme
Here Are Some More Soups to Cozy Up With
- Easy Homemade Ramen Bowls
- Healthy Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Creamy Chicken Marsala Soup
- Coconut Curry Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Soothing Lemon Chicken Soup with Kale
- Hearty Vegetable Quinoa Soup
Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 cups diced sweet onion, like Vidalia
- 1 rib of celery, sliced or roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 14 oz cans or boxes of diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, more if needed
- A few cranks of cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.
- Once the butter has fully melted, add the onion, celery, and garlic, and bring it simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir it all up every now and then to avoid any burning.
- Pour the tomatoes and their juices into the pot, then add the vegetable broth, heavy cream, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
If using an immersion blender:
- Place the immersion blender into the soup and blend on medium-high speed until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
If using a high-powered blender:
- Carefully transfer the soup to the blender container. You'll likely need to blend the soup in batches. Careful not to overfill it—the liquid is hot and you don't want any spills! Blend the soup until you reach your desired consistency. With a high-powered blender, you can achieve a very silky smooth soup
- Once the soup is blended, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. See the recipe notes for how to deal with a soup that tastes too acidic.
Soup season is here and I’ve been trying to find the most perfect tomato soup and this is it. I did freeze some incase we get the sniffles or a cold. My kids paired it with grilled cheese and it was a hit!
The absolute BEST way to pair it ;)
I can’t wait to make to make this. The temperature dropped below 90° so its officially soup season. ; )
I do not miss that heat! Just moved to PA from NC and I’m so ready to embrace the chilly weather, haha.
Such a beautiful serving! I love how easily it comes together.
Thanks!
A nice, classic tomato soup that’s perfect on a cold or rainy day.
100%!
I’ve been craving a nice bowl of tomato soup for quite a while…and this looks delicious! I’m taking this as a sign from the universe to go ahead and make some! Thank you!
Let me know what you think!
That baking soda tip is GOLD! I always put sugar in mine when it is too acidic, and sometimes a little too much, and then it’s too sweet and I won’t eat it. I can’t wait to try it!
The baking soda trick is awesome. Works for pasta sauce, too!
I love the color and flavor of this tomato soup! I paired it with some garlic bread and it was delicious.
Sounds like an awesome pairing ;)
Nothing is more satisfying than homemade tomato soup. I can’t wait to try your recipe. I think I’ll serve it with croutons.
Let me know how it goes, Beth!
This looks so easy and yummy. Can’t wait to try it with my family. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome!
You can’t go wrong with this homemade tomato soup. It’s sooooo good!!!
Glad you like it!