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Best Ever- Homemade Tomato Soup

by Kristen

Making homemade tomato soup is my favorite way to use the abundance of fresh tomatoes and fresh basil in my garden each summer.  There is no need to peel the tomatoes when you make this soup.  Carrots are my secret ingredient for tomato soup.  Carrots naturally sweeten tomato soup and reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.  You will love the sweet, creamy taste of this tomato soup recipe.  I have included stovetop and Instant Pot instructions for you.  This recipe is the best homemade tomato soup, and I highly recommend eating a grilled cheese sandwich on the side!

There is nothing like a warm bowl of tomato soup with toasted grilled cheese on the side for dunking.  Once you start making homemade tomato soup, canned tomato soup won’t do it for you anymore.  Every summer, I make several batches of tomato soup and freeze portions for when I want some homemade soup.   This is an excellent way to cook your garden tomatoes.

Will Canned Tomatoes work with this recipe?

Yes! You can use canned tomatoes to make this soup if you don’t have any fresh tomatoes.  I recommend using high-quality plum tomatoes such as Red Gold or San Marzano tomatoes; using Canned tomatoes will have a slightly different texture but is an excellent option for times when you don’t have fresh tomatoes available.

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Ingredients needed:

One medium onion

1 tbsp of olive oil or butter

1 tsp minced garlic, about two fresh garlic cloves

One tablespoon of Italian seasoning or dried basil OR 5-6 fresh basil leaves

10-12 garden fresh garden tomatoes

Six carrots

16 ounces of vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup of milk or heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Stovetop instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven over. Medium or medium-low heat, saute chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped carrots in olive oil until the onions are transparent.

Add chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and basil leaves. Turn the heat down to low and let the flavors simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it cool a little. Using your immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth, and add milk or cream if desired.

What if my soup turns out too thin?

I don’t usually have to thicken this soup. However, if your soup turns out too thin, feel free to remove one ladle full of hot soup into a bowl and create a slurry with cornstarch or all-purpose flour. Add the soup back into the pot to thicken it.

tomato soup collage

Instant Pot Option

Set Instant Pot to the saute setting and add olive oil and onion. Saute until the onion is transparent.

Add tomatoes, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and stock.

Close the Instant Pot lid and push the “Soup” setting, or cook for 12 minutes on high pressure.

Let the pressure naturally release—blend the soup with an immersion blender.  Add the desired amount of milk or cream as you are about to eat it.

Tomato soup topping ideas

Fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and oyster or goldfish crackers make great garnishes for your tomato soup.  If you like to add spice, red pepper flakes or hot sauce also tastes fantastic on top of this tomato soup.

Storage

Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

5 from 1 vote
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Homemade Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 10-12 tomatoes
  • 6 carrots
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 basil leaves
  • 16 ounces vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • 1-2 cups milk or cream optional

Instructions

Stovetop instructions

  1. In a pot, saute chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped carrots in olive oil until the onions are transparent. 

  2. Add chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and basil leaves. Turn the heat down to low and let the flavors simmer for 30 plus minutes- stirring every few minutes.

  3. Turn off the heat and let cool a little. Using your immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth, and add milk or cream if desired.

Instant Pot Option

  1. Set Instant Pot to the saute setting and add olive oil and onion. Saute until the onion is transparent.  

  2. Add tomatoes, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and stock.

  3. Close the Instant Pot lid and push the “Soup” setting, or cook for 12 minutes on high pressure.

  4. Let the pressure naturally release- Blend soup with an immersion blender. Add the desired amount of milk or cream as you are about to eat it.

Tomatoes are high in fiber and contain protein. This soup has much less sodium and carbohydrates than canned tomato soup. This meal is also low in cholesterol and can be low in calories if you watch it on the heavy cream.

Did you make this homemade tomato soup? I would love to hear how it turned out for you!   Please comment below this blog post or tag me on social media. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

 

 

 

 

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18 comments

Carla February 17, 2023 - 12:46 am

This recipe is fantastic! Tastes like my favourite canned soup but without all the nasty additives. Very healthy. I am going to add it to my WW app to see how many points it comes out to.

 
Mandy February 3, 2023 - 8:39 pm

5 stars
Wow. I will always add carrots from now on

 
Pressure Cooker Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup – Make the Best of Everything December 1, 2020 - 2:06 pm

[…] as I did, but I highly recommend it!  You will also find carrots as the secret ingredient in my tomato soup […]

 
Linda May 3, 2019 - 4:45 pm

How many cans of tomato do you and the juice to?

 
Kristen May 3, 2019 - 5:47 pm

I would use two-3 cans and include the juice

 
Judy Crouch August 25, 2019 - 11:49 pm

Can you can this in jars? Wondering if I should not add cream until it’s time to eat it if I can?

 
Kristen August 26, 2019 - 4:22 pm

Yes. you can, can this in jars. And yes. I would still wait until you’re eating it to add the cream.

 
Granny December 29, 2017 - 6:50 pm

Can this soup be frozen for later use?

 
Kristen December 29, 2017 - 7:15 pm

YES! You can freeze it in pyrex or even in a freezer friendly zip loc bag.

 
Marianne August 21, 2017 - 2:29 pm

Do you peel the tomatoes?

 
Kristen August 21, 2017 - 6:49 pm

You can. But I didn’t.

 
gary September 4, 2016 - 6:53 pm

if immersion blender used, what are the solids that appear in the picture? looks like shredded cheese or julienned carrots with avocados? or what?

 
Kristen September 4, 2016 - 7:12 pm

I topped my soup with some smoked cheddar cheese and cheese crackers. But now that you mention avocados, that sounds really good.

 
Theresa September 3, 2016 - 10:38 pm

I love trying new recipes

 
KATIE CRENSHAW September 1, 2016 - 3:25 pm

THIS SOUP LOOKS FABULOUS! I LOVE THAT YOU ADD CARROTS. I THINK THAT IS BRILLIANT. I WILL BE MAKING THIS SOON.

 
Dannii September 1, 2016 - 2:11 pm

I do have to say, my grandma makes the best tomato soup ever 😉 I have tried to recreate it, but it never tastes the same.

 
Platter talk September 1, 2016 - 1:53 pm

Thanks! love love love.

 
Annemarie September 1, 2016 - 12:39 pm

That soup looks so good! Carrots are a great secret ingredient with tomatoes. I agree that their natural sweetness is perfect to balance the acidity.

 

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