This Tomato Basil Soup is one of my favorite soups on the planet. Combining tomatoes and fresh sauteed vegetables, with some chicken broth and heavy cream makes a perfect homemade soup. It is flavorful, rich, creamy, comforting and totally delicious! It’s a great recipe to enjoy in the colder months as it’s filling and warms the bones.
Original recipe posted: October 2013 | Recipe update: October 2019
Yesterday at this time I thought I would be writing this post from the hospital. My 6-year-old was supposed to have surgery on his ear yesterday, but there was a different plan for him. After telling him NO EATING, he promptly went downstairs and chewed the chocolate off of a chocolate-covered almond. I called the surgery department and confessed the crime. Surgery was canceled immediately. Food in belly a few hours before surgery = not good. Dan and I spent yesterday doing our best to recalibrate, as we had spent so much time preparing ourselves for surgery and the emotion that goes along with it. Needless to say, it has been a strange past 24 hours!
What I am about to say is more than just a convenient transition. It is totally the truth. A nice hot bowl of this delicious soup has provided me with comfort this week, whether it was as I was preparing for surgery or adjusting to NO surgery. Nothing from a canned soup can compare with the little extra time it takes to prepare a homemade version. You can use your dutch oven to create some amazing combinations of flavors – I have a few suggestions below.
Tomato Basil Soup is one of my all-time favorite soups, and this version is incredible! If you’re in love with the tomato-basil combo like I am, check out this Caprese Pasta Salad and this Shrimp Tomato and Basil Pasta!
HOW TO MAKE A BOWL OF TOMATO BASIL SOUP
I love tomato soup! This creamy soup with the addition of basil makes it so full of flavor!
STEP 1
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in an extra large skillet or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
STEP 2
Add the fresh basil, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and sugar. Increase temperature to medium-high heat and bring to a boil the mixture. Reduce to a medium-low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
STEP 3
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes. In batches, add the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender. Liquefy or process until the mixture is smooth.
STEP 4
Return to the skillet/saucepan and add the heavy cream. Stir and warm the mixture over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
STEP 5
Pour into bowls and serve warm. Top with Parmesan cheese and croutons and a few strips of basil.
RECIPE TIPS
-
If you love garlic like I do, you may want to take an extra step for this recipe and roast a bulb of garlic quickly. See instructions below!
-
If you have some fresh tomatoes, you can use those instead of canned tomatoes. Just add diced tomatoes and measure to equal the same quantity.
-
Red pepper flakes give this a nice spicy finish! If you want the full batch to be spicy, add in a teaspoon to the pot. Just an 1/8 of a teaspoon to each bowl and then to taste.
-
If you find that you’d like a thicker soup, mix 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch in a small amount of soup and mix it together. Then add it to the soup and stir into the soup so it’s mixed in completely. Your soup will thicken as it simmers.
HOW TO REHEAT YOUR SOUP
You will enjoy how the flavors of the soup were even tastier day 2 or 3 after making this. I prefer using the stove top to reheat my soup because it warms the soup all the way through. A microwave creates pockets of heat that then can be scalding in one spot and cool in another. If you want this to be easy and ready for friends, add it to a crock pot for 1-2 hours on low heat. It’ll be ready to serve when you are!
CAN I FREEZE TOMATO SOUP?
This soup is perfectly delicious a day later, a week later or if you freeze portions of it, 3-4 months later! Let the soup cool completely, then add it to an air tight container. Place it in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you place it in your deep freeze, you can get a full 6 months of time to save your batch. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, move the soup container to the fridge and let it thaw. You can reheat it best over a low heat on the stove top.
HOW TO ROAST GARLIC
Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and discard the papery outsides of the garlic, leaving the garlic cloves exposed and still attached to the bulb. Using a sharp knife, cut off about a 1/4 in of the top of the cloves off to expose all the insides. Place the cut side up in a muffin tin and drizzle a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over the heads, using your fingers to get each head covered in oil. Cover the pan and let the garlic bake for 30-40 minutes.
Air fryer method: If you have an air fryer, you can get this done in a much quicker time frame! Just put the olive oil covered garlic bulb in the air fryer, turn it on to 350 for 10 minutes.
STOCK VS BONE BROTH
Chicken stock tends to be made more from the bones of the animal, and is used for cooking. Whereas chicken broth is made more out of meat and is something known for sipping on. Chicken stock tends to have a fuller mouth feel and richer flavor, due to the gelatin released by long-simmering bones which extracts lots of flavor. While some people use them interchangeably, the collagen in broth offers a richer texture.
Wishing you all a happy week! Thank you for reading!
SOUPS THAT WARM THE SOUL
-
Instant Pot Ham Bone Soup – Use your leftover ham bone to make this comforting, hearty Ham Bone Soup in your Instant Pot! Pressure cooking this meal allows you to get dinner on the table in less than an hour and it tastes like it has been simmering in a slow cooker all day long. Packed with beans, potatoes and delicious flavor!
-
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup – This is the BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe you will ever taste. Let your Instant Pot create a veggie-packed, cheesy, hearty and comforting dinner that everyone at the table will love. Done in just 20 minutes!
-
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup – Make a batch of comforting Chicken Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot! Using a pressure cooker will save you time and will produce the most perfectly cooked soup you’ll ever taste.
-
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup – Transform Chicken Fajitas into a delicious, savory soup that will quickly become a family favorite! Mix and match vegetables to your liking! Chicken Fajita Soup is great served for family dinner
-
Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup – Delicious soup does not have to be difficult! This Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup tastes like the real deal, but requires half the effort. Creamy, rich, satisfying and filled with texture, this will be a great addition to your dinner rotation!
-
Loaded Potato Soup – A loaded baked potato is transformed into a warm, delicious, comforting soup! The perfect fall or winter meal!
-
Smoky Tomato Soup with Maple Candied Bacon – A simple change on a household classic, makes for a pleasant surprise! This comforting bowl of Tomato soup is filled with full-bodied tomatoes and the Maple-Candied Bacon. One bite of this hearty meal with just a touch of sweetness will make you want a second bowl!
-
Butternut Squash Soup – This is the perfect, most delicious way to use up butternut squash in the fall! Butternut Squash Soup is creamy, packed with comforting flavor and super easy to prepare. Great dinner option any night of the week!
If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and tag it @pipandebby + hashtag it #PIPANDEBBY I’d love to see what you create!
Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 1 white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp. fresh basil finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes
- 32 oz. container chicken broth
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons for topping (if desired)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in an extra large skillet or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the basil, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and sugar. Increase temperature to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a medium-low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes. In batches, add the mixture to a blender or food processor. Liquefy or process until the mixture is smooth. Return to the skillet/saucepan and add the heavy whipping cream. Stir and warm the mixture over medium-low heat until heated through. Pour into bowls and serve warm. Top with Parmesan cheese and croutons.
Hi Terry! You can definitely freeze this soup! Let it thaw for a few hours, then warm it over medium heat until heated through. I hope this helps!
Megan
Can this be frozen, if so what would be best way to reheat/how long. Thank you.
This is the BEST tomato soup I've ever had! Thanks for the post!
This soup is so colorful..Love your step by step process and pics
Can you package some up and send to this stuffed up girl in Texas? Pretty please????