Ready in just an hour, this one pot Tomato Basil Soup is bursting with flavor! You can use either fresh or canned tomatoes to whip up this easy, family friendly meal. Serve it with fresh basil and a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for a classic, comforting meal!
If you love tomatoes, try our Easy Southern Tomato Pie, Easy Tomato Basil Bruschetta, and our addictive Fried Green Tomatoes.
Tomato soup and grilled cheese. Is there anything more simple and comforting? Tomato soup takes me back to my childhood on a chilly fall or winter’s day. In a pinch, we would make some Campbell’s Tomato soup for lunch, with grilled cheese, of course!
But this homemade tomato basil soup recipe is SO much better than soup from a can. It uses wholesome ingredients that are good for you, and it’s a great way to sneak veggies (or technically fruit) into your kid’s diet.
This Tomato Basil Soup, easy as it may seem, is full of rich flavor! It calls for tomatoes in 3 different forms - canned, fire-roasted, and tomato paste - as well as heavy cream, and parmesan. To cut through the richness I added a little balsamic vinegar, and also the fresh basil uplifts this soup, adding extra umami.
One of my favorite things about this Tomato Soup recipe is that everything is made in one pot! The ingredients are added at different times to allow all of the natural flavors to hit their peak at the right time. Onions garlic and butter, then herbs and seasoning, followed by tomatoes and broth, finished off with the cream, parmesan, and fresh basil.
One pot meals are essential during busy weeknights. The quicker we can get through the dishes, the quicker we can put our feet up at the end of the day!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil & butter: These two ingredients are used to sauté the garlic and onion. Olive oil raises the smoking point of the butter so that it doesn’t burn in the dutch oven or pot.
- Garlic & onion: No veggie soup is complete without these two ingredients! They add so much flavor and are essential in this tomato soup recipe.
- Sugar: Just a little sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Herbs & seasoning: salt and black pepper for flavor, oregano adds extra herbiness, while red pepper flakes give this homemade tomato basil soup just a hint of heat. I also used both dried and fresh basil - tomato and basil are made for each other!
- Tomatoes: 3 different kinds of tomato are used to really develop the tomato flavor. Tomato paste helps thicken the soup a bit and adds a rich tomato flavor, canned whole tomatoes create the bulk of the soup, and canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes add an extra layer of flavor and are one of my fire ingredients to keep on hand in the pantry (although regular diced tomatoes would work as well).
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth helps to thin down the soup without taking away from the flavor.
- Heavy cream: Makes this soup extra rich and creamy - nothing beats it!
- Parmesan cheese: Just for a little tang to top it all off!
How to Make Tomato Basil Soup
- Heat & sauté. First, heat the oil and butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Enhance the flavor. Secondly, add the sugar, salt, oregano, dried basil, pepper, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar, if using.
3. Add the tomatoes and broth, boil and simmer. Add the whole tomatoes and diced tomatoes, with juices, along with the chicken broth. Bring the tomato soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes, although 30-45 minutes is preferable.
4. Remove from heat & blend. Remove from heat and transfer ½ of the tomato basil soup to a blender. Cover with a towel (not the lid, which will create too much pressure build-up from the heat of the soup) and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining soup. Or use an immersion blender, if you have one.
5. Add the finishing touches. Lastly, stir in the cream, basil, and parmesan. Serve with additional cream swirled over the top of the soup and extra sprinkles of chopped basil.
Can I use fresh tomatoes?
Of course! If you have fresh tomatoes you would like to use for this healthy homemade tomato basil soup, I recommend roasting about 4-5 cups of them in the oven at 200ºF (93ºC) first for 25-30 minutes. Just drizzle them with the balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and salt first, then use in the soup in place of the canned tomatoes.
How do I store this homemade Tomato Basil Soup?
This leftover tomato soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to warm it back up, place it in a pot on the stove and reheat it until it’s piping hot. It's a great recipe to meal prep for lunch!
Can this tomato basil soup recipe be frozen for later?
Yes! Allow it to cool completely. Then when it’s ready, store in a freezer bag or an airtight container. When you’re ready to eat it, take it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw before reheating.
What else can I serve with this soup recipe?
I find that tomato basil soup goes well with bread, sandwiches, and salads. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Homemade Potato Bread
- Easy Homemade Rye Bread
- Sweet Molasses Brown Bread
- Amish White Bread
- A simple (or fancy!) grilled cheese
- Grilled Caprese Panini
- Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwiches
- Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich with Kneaders Sauce
- Classic Potluck Broccoli Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Chopped Kale Salad
More Soup Recipes
- Cheeseburger Soup with Bacon
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Better-Than-Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
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Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar optional
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes
- 15 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream + additional for serving
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil + additional for serving
- ½ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Add the sugar, salt, oregano, dried basil, pepper, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar, if using.
- Add the whole tomatoes and diced tomatoes, with juices, along with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes, although 30-45 minutes is preferable.
- Remove from heat and transfer ½ of the soup to a blender. Cover with a towel (not the lid, which will create too much pressure build-up from the heat of the soup) and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining soup. Or use an immersion blender, if you have one.
- Stir in the cream, basil, and parmesan. Serve with additional cream swirled over the top of the soup and extra sprinkles of chopped basil.
This looks delicious! I grow basil nearly all year long! I can't wait to try this soup!