The BEST tomato soup recipe! It’s rich, flavorful, and easy to make with basic ingredients. Just add a grilled cheese for a delicious, comforting meal!

This tomato soup recipe is a cold weather staple in our house. It couldn’t be simpler to make, and the ingredients are largely pantry basics that I always keep on hand.

But more importantly, this tomato soup is creamy, comforting, and full of rich flavor. The tomatoes make it tangy, balsamic vinegar adds sweetness, and red pepper flakes give it a warming kick of heat.

You could serve it on its own, topped with a swirl of olive oil, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves…or you could pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich. If you’re craving cozy comfort food as much as I’ve been lately, I definitely vote for the latter.

Key Ingredients in Tomato Soup

Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade tomato soup recipe:

• Tomatoes, of course! Canned diced tomatoes, to be exact. You can also use canned whole peeled tomatoes and crush them with your hands before adding them to the soup. If you’d prefer to use fresh tomatoes, check out this roasted tomato basil soup recipe instead.
• Olive oil and butter – They create the soup’s rich base. To make this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use additional olive oil instead of the butter.
• Carrots, onion, and garlic – These aromatic veggies give the soup savory depth of flavor.
• Balsamic vinegar – It adds sweetness and tang.
• Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own. Water works here too!
• Full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream – Honestly, both are fantastic! They make the soup equally creamy. If you go the dairy-free route, I promise, you won’t taste the coconut one bit!
• Dried thyme – For warm, earthy flavor.
• Red pepper flakes – For heat.
• Fresh basil leaves – You can’t beat the combination of tomatoes and basil! I shower the basil over the soup to add bursts of fresh flavor.
• And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Tomato Soup

This homemade tomato soup recipe is so simple to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, sauté the veggies. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar.

Next, add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Then, blend part of the soup. This step makes it sooo creamy! Scoop 4 cups of the soup out of the pot and set aside. Transfer the remaining soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. If you like, you could use an immersion blender for this step, though I prefer the smoother texture I get when I use my regular blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, along with the 4 cups of chunky soup. Stir to combine.

Finally, season to taste and serve. That’s it!

What to Serve with Homemade Tomato Soup

On top: I love this soup with a swirl of olive oil, a drizzle of coconut milk or heavy cream, black pepper, and/or fresh basil on top. A little freshly grated Parmesan cheese is delicious too. I also like adding homemade croutons for crunch.

On the side: Enjoy the soup with a side of crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich. If you prefer something lighter, serve it with a simple green salad, my kale Caesar salad, or a classic Caesar salad.

Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the soup for up to 3 months!

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this creamy tomato soup recipe, try one of these homemade soups next:

This easy to make homemade condensed cream of celery soup is made with fresh, whole ingredients and can be frozen to keep on hand when needed. Thick and full of flavour, this soup can be used in any recipe that calls for canned cream of celery soup.

Homemade Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

This delicious homemade condensed cream of celery soup makes a fantastic replacement for the condensed can version or as a delicious stand-alone soup. 

Easy to make, using fresh, quality celery helps creates a delectable soup that is so full of flavour.

Soup Variations

• Try using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• This is to replace a condensed canned version of soup. If you want to use it as a soup, thin it out by adding extra milk or broth.
• Cornflour can be used instead of plain flour.
• Unsalted butter can be used, though you may want to add about ¼ tsp of salt.
• One onion diced can be added to the saucepan with the celery.
• 4 garlic cloves minced, can be also added to the saucepan with the celery.
• Fresh herbs and spices can also be added.
• This soup can also be used as a base for other ‘cream of’ soups – just substitute the celery with things such as diced mushrooms (½ cup), asparagus, cheddar cheese ( 1 cup shredded) diced potato or even broccoli.

Ingredients for Cream of Celery Soup

To make around 2 cups of soup, which is equivalent to 1 can of condensed soup, you will need:

• ¾ Cup Celery, Finely Chopped
• ¾ Cup Chicken Broth
• 2 TBSP Plain Flour
• 2 TBSP Salted Butter
• ½ Cup Milk
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Making Homemade Cream of Celery Soup

Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat.

Finely chop the celery and add it to the saucepan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.

Add the flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.

While whisking, slowly add the broth and the milk. Continue to cook and whisk until smooth and the mixture thickens. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Use immediately or let cool and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

For a lovely, creamy texture, blend the mixture with a blender, immersion blender or in a food processor. Though, be careful not to overdo it. Also, if blending when hot, be careful not to spill the hot soup on your.

Storing Cream of Celery Soup

Use immediately in place of canned cream of celery soup or enjoy as a soup, just thin it out with a little extra milk or broth.

Let it cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Or, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Let thaw in the fridge before using.