This easy tomato soup doesn't require sauteing, pureeing, and straining, yet it's wonderfully creamy and delicious.
Ready in just 30 minutes, it makes the perfect lunch and is also wonderful as a light weeknight dinner.
![Tomato soup is served in a white bowl with a spoon.](https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/tomato-soup-1-2022.jpg)
The first time I made this recipe, I wanted to make soup, but I wanted it to be easy. Truly easy! Even easier than this onion soup. I didn’t feel like sauteing shallots, cooking tomatoes, peeling, pureeing, or straining.
This soup is truly easy to make and it's so good! It's thick, creamy, and delicious - a truly comforting soup. And when served with grilled cheese, it really takes one back to one's childhood.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tomato soup. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Canned tomato puree: It's best to use an Italian brand like Pomi or Cento. They're sweeter and less acidic than American brands.
- Chicken broth: I use regular, as I find that low sodium is bland. When I happen to have homemade chicken broth in the fridge, I use that.
- To season: Kosher salt black pepper, garlic granules (or powder), onion granules (or powder), paprika, and ground cumin.
- Sweetener: Optional, just a little, and only if you use American canned tomatoes which tend to be quite acidic.
- Heavy cream: As an alternative, you can use well-blended full-fat canned coconut milk.
Variations
- Experiment with spices. Interesting options include dried oregano and dried thyme. You can add ½ teaspoon of each.
- You can use vegetable stock instead of chicken, although chicken broth provides a more flavorful base.
- The sweetener is optional. Taste for yourself and decide.
- You can use well-stirred, full-fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
Instructions
Making this tomato soup is truly easy, especially compared with traditional recipes. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Add the tomato puree, chicken broth, and spices to a stockpot. Stir to combine.
Simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream, and keep the pot on the stove just until the soup is heated through, about 1-2 more minutes.
Expert Tip
As mentioned above, I use either Cento tomato puree or Pomi strained tomatoes in this recipe. Both are Italian brands. Cento is easier to find in regular supermarkets. They are sweeter and less acidic than American brands.
If you use an American brand such as Muir Glen Tomato Puree, you might need to add a small amount of a sweetener to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, so taste and decide.
Recipe FAQs
In addition to onion and garlic powders, I like to add cumin and paprika. Admittedly somewhat unusual, this combination of spices and flavors is hearty and warm. And it doesn't overwhelm the soup - it simply enhances it.
Not necessarily. Fresh tomatoes do not always taste so good, especially in winter, when most of us tend to make soup. Winter tomatoes are often pale, mealy, and flavorless.
Arguably, you're better off using high-quality canned tomatoes than flavorless fresh tomatoes. And by the way, I also use canned pumpkin in this easy pumpkin soup, and it's wonderful!
Yes, but sour cream can curdle. So, remove it from the fridge when you start making the soup to allow it to reach room temperature.
Add it to the soup off-heat once you're done cooking - don't heat it as you would heavy cream. And when reheating leftovers, take extra care to do so on very low heat.
Serving Suggestions
Like probably everyone else in America, I like to eat this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, so I often serve it with this keto grilled cheese sandwich. Other tasty options include:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered (to prevent splatters), at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing any soup that contains heavy cream.
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Recipe Card
Easy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 28 ounces canned tomato puree just pureed tomatoes, no other ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth not low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
- 1 teaspoon onion granules or powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon sweetener optional - taste and decide
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Whisk together the tomato puree, chicken broth, and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ground cumin) in a large stockpot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Whisk again, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste the soup and decide if you’d like to add more salt or a small amount of sweetener.
- Stir in the heavy cream and continue cooking, uncovered, over low heat just until heated through, 1-2 more minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- It's best to use Cento tomato puree or Pomi strained tomatoes. Both are Italian brands. Cento is easier to find in regular supermarkets. They are sweeter and less acidic than American brands.
- If using an American brand such as Muir Glen Tomato Puree, you might need to add a small amount of a sweetener to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- You can use well-stirred, full-fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered (to prevent splatters), at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing any soup that contains heavy cream.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Cynthia Wolter
Simple yet delicious. Will try your other soup recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you enjoyed this soup, Cynthia! Thanks for the review.
Caren
Can you freeze it?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Caren,
Unfortunately, you can't. Soups containing milk or cream don't survive the process of freezing and thawing. Their texture becomes grainy.
Stacey
Delicious! I added basil instead of the other herbs and low sodium vegetable broth. Thank you.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it, Stacey! Thanks for leaving a comment. Basil sounds great, and I'm glad that the vegetable broth worked for you.