Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on this site, I may earn a commission.
Read my Privacy Policy.

A truly good creamy tomato soup, especially when served with a melty grilled cheese sandwich, is unequaled. It’s one of those dishes that appeals to anyone, no matter how young or old they are. It’s a classic dish that many of us grew up with, and we aren’t mad about it.

Side view of creamy tomato soup in a white mug with parsley sprinkled over the top.

This is going to be a longer blog post. However, the good news is, you can zoom down to whatever section you prefer, using the table of contents links below. Easy!

If you love the idea of comfort food soups, you might also enjoy my Chicken Pot Pie Soup, my Sausage Kale & Potato Soup, or even my Easy Pasta Fagioli, if you love a good pasta-based soup. All of these are pure comfort in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe is amazing for these three reasons:

  1. It’s deliciously well-seasoned and pairs perfectly with a really good, grilled cheese sandwich. It’s perfect for a portable Thermos lunch, or a warm, cozy dinner.
  2. It’s incredibly versatile. Can’t have dairy? I gotcha covered. Prefer dairy? I got your back. Not only will I give you several ways to make this, but I’ll give you the best options and tell you why you should use them.
  3. It’s super simple to make with fresh tomatoes, but you can also use canned tomatoes. So this recipe is perfect for any time of year. I’ll give you all the details for each type below.
Creamy tomato soup in a white mug with a spoon.

Using Canned Tomatoes

This recipe calls for fresh tomatoes. But if canned tomatoes are all you have available, that’s okay too! I promise, it will be just as delicious. What matters is the type of canned tomatoes you use because not all canned tomatoes are created equal.

In order of best to “this works”, try any of these:

What Type of Canned Tomatoes to Use

  • San Marzano Tomatoes – If you can get them, these are by far, the best canned tomatoes to use. They are Italian-style tomatoes that are slightly sweeter and less acidic, which makes them the best option for a classic, creamy tomato soup. But if you can’t find them…
  • Whole Peeled Tomatoes – Use these in a pinch. While they will be a bit more acidic, they will still work. You’ll have to blend these a bit longer to get the soup truly smooth, but they will work just fine. A stronger blender is best when using these.
  • Crushed Tomatoes – These are a good idea if your blender is not a super strong blender. They work well because they are already partially broken down, so they need less blending for your soup to reach a smooth consistency.
  • Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – I include these here because some people really enjoy the smoky flavor they add. That said, if you want a classic tomato soup, I would skip these. But they are an option if you enjoy that flavor.

Pro Recipe Tips

Acidity and Sweetness

Canned tomatoes are often more acidic than fresh tomatoes. To balance the acidity:

  • Add 1-2 tsp of sweetener (or to taste) once you have blended and tasted the soup.
  • Don’t want to add sweetener? Stir in a pinch of baking soda at the end to neutralize some of the acid.

Seasoning

Taste the soup after blending and adjust the salt and pepper. Canned tomatoes can vary in sodium content and flavor. So adjusting to taste is important for a good bowl of creamy tomato soup.

Canned Tomatoes Vs. Fresh Tomatoes

Not sure how to substitute canned for fresh (or visa versa)? Here’s what you need to know.

  • Replace 2 lbs of fresh tomatoes with one 28-ounce can of tomatoes.
  • If you want a thicker soup, you can use 1½ cans (about 42 ounces).
Overhead view of a white mug filled with creamy tomato soup.

Non-Dairy Creamy Options

If you don’t want to use dairy, here are your best options for making this soup rich and creamy.

For all of these, once you have prepped/cooked the ingredients, you’ll simply blend them in with everything else in step 4.

1. Cashew Cream (Dairy-Free)

(This is what I used for this recipe.)

Use ½ a cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours then drained, or ½ a cup raw cashews boiled for 15-20 minutes and drained. Blend with a ¼ to ½ cup of water. Start with a ¼ cup and add more as you blend until you have a smooth, thick, consistency just a tad runnier than tomato paste.

2. Blended White Beans (Dairy-Free)

1 cup cooked white beans (cannellini or great northern).

3. Potato-Only (Dairy-Free)

2 cups diced potato. Cook this with the rest of the soup ingredients, adding them to the pot when you add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Keep your dice very small so that the other ingredients don’t get overcooked.

To Peel Or Not To Peel

You have the option to peel or not peel fresh tomatoes for this recipe. But what do you get based on your choice?

Peeled – You should score, blanch, and peel your fresh tomatoes if you want a smoother or runnier consistency in your soup.

Unpeeled – You can skip peeling if you don’t mind a more rustic texture in your finished soup. The peels will blend just fine. The extra fiber tends to make the soup a tiny bit thicker, which is actually a great quality in tomato soup. But the choice is yours. What you see here in photos are unpeeled tomatoes.

Side view of a white mug filled with creamy tomato soup.

What You’ll Need To Make Creamy Tomato Soup

Extra virgin olive oil – Or butter for dairy eaters.

Red onion – In a pinch, a yellow onion works just as well.

Garlic cloves – Opt for the largest cloves you can get.

Ripe tomatoes – Or a 28-oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes. No sugar added.

Vegetable stock – Or chicken stock. No sugar or dextrose added.

Sweetener – Whatever you are comfortable using. I used a xylitol-based sweetener because that’s what works best for my blood sugar. But you can literally use anything here, or you can omit it completely.

Salt and pepper – Add to taste at serving.

Cream – Or non-dairy substitute – see notes above.

Optional Garnishes

  • fresh or dried basil leaves
  • drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • dollop of cream (for dairy eaters)
  • Fresh or dried parsley

How To Make Creamy Tomato Soup

Cashews in a cup with water.
Boiled and drained cashews in a pot.
Cashew cream in a cup with a spatula.

If you are making cashew cream like I did, you’ll want to first soak the cashews. If you are short on time, you can also boil them in filtered water for 15-20 minutes to get the same effect. Once they are soft, blend them with water until you have a smooth but thicker consistency, somewhere between tomato paste and a thick pancake batter.

Chopped onions in a skillet with a wood spoon.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

Minced garlic added to sautéed onions in a skillet.

Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Any longer and the garlic may burn and become bitter.

Fresh, quartered tomatoes added to onions and garlic in a soup pot.
Broth added to tomatoes, onions and garlic in a soup pot.
Cooked, unblended tomato soup in a soup pot.

Add tomatoes and broth/stock to your soup pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until tomatoes are soft. and broken down.

Closeup of a white mug filled with creamy tomato soup.

    Add whatever you are using to make this soup creamy, and blend with an immersion blender. You can also blend in batches in a regular, standing blender, but watch that the heat doesn’t crack the glass tumbler. Cool it down a bit first. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and serve hot with any garnish you like.

      Leftovers

      Store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days (if you used dairy), or up to 5 days (if you used cashews or other plant-based cream).

      Freezing

      Technically, you can freeze this, of course. But it will freeze a bit differently depending on what you use for cream.

      Dairy (Heavy Cream, Milk, or Half-and-Half)

      Impact -Dairy can separate when frozen and reheated, leading to a grainy or curdled texture.

      How To Freeze – If you plan to freeze the soup, don’t add the dairy before freezing. Instead, stir in the cream after reheating. Blend thoroughly when reheating to restore a smoother texture.

      Cashew Cream (Dairy-Free)

      Impact – Cashew cream freezes and reheats beautifully. It maintains its smooth texture and integrates well after thawing.

      How To Freeze – Add the cashew cream before freezing, or stir it in after reheating for a little extra control over the final consistency.

      Potato-Only Creaminess

      Impact – Potato-based soup thickens slightly when frozen and reheated but keeps it’s creamy texture without separation.

      How To Freeze – Perfect for freezing as-is, with no special adjustments needed.

      White Beans or Cauliflower Puree (Dairy-Free)

      Impact – Both white beans and cauliflower puree freeze well and reheat smoothly without separation.

      How To Freeze – These are great options for freezer-friendly soups. Add before freezing.

      Reheating

      Reheat gently over medium heat in a pot on a stovetop, or reheat briefly in a microwave.

      SUBSCRIBE

      Remember to subscribe to my free newsletter to receive all my latest recipes in your inbox. Click here to sign up!

      Copyright Policy
      Side view of creamy tomato soup in a white mug with parsley sprinkled over the top.

      Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe

      Delicious creamy tomato soup, with or without dairy.
      No ratings yet
      Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
      Servings: 14 servings
      Calories: 68kcal

      Equipment

      • 1 Soup Pot
      • 1 Stick blender (or regular blender – You may have to work in batches)

      Ingredients

      • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or butter for dairy eaters)
      • cups chopped red onion
      • 3 large garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
      • 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes (or a 28-oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes)
      • 1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
      • 1 tsp. sweetener (whatever you are comfortable using)
      • salt and pepper (to taste)
      • ½ cup cream (or non-dairy substitute – see note in post above)

      Optional Garnishes

      • fresh or dried basil leaves
      • drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
      • dollop of cream (for dairy eaters)

      Instructions

      • If you are making cashew cream like I did, you'll want to first soak the cashews. If you are short on time, you can also boil them in filtered water for 15-20 minutes to get the same effect. Once they are soft, blend them with water until you have a smooth but thicker consistency, somewhere between tomato paste and a thick pancake batter.
        Cashew cream in a cup with a spatula.
      • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
        Chopped onions in a skillet with a wood spoon.
      • Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Any longer and the garlic may burn and become bitter.
        Minced garlic added to sautéed onions in a skillet.
      • Add tomatoes and broth/stock to your soup pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until tomatoes are soft. and broken down.
        Broth added to tomatoes, onions and garlic in a soup pot.
      • Add whatever you are using to make this soup creamy, and blend with an immersion blender. You can also blend in batches in a regular, standing blender, but watch that the heat doesn't crack the glass tumbler. Cool it down a bit first. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and serve hot with any garnish you like.
        Closeup of a white mug filled with creamy tomato soup.

      Notes

      Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1cup | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.2mg

      Author: Tiffany McCauley

      Title: Food and Travel Journalist

      Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

      Bio:

      Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author and food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. Her food specialty is healthy comfort food recipes.

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.