I'm back with more soup! My goal is to perfect enough soup recipes to be able to make a different pot every week throughout the winter... at least for a few months. Here is the latest perfected recipe!
Something maybe kind of weird about me is that I did not grow up eating tomato soup and grilled cheese like so many kids (especially us Midwestern kids). We did eat grilled cheeses like they were going out of style; though we called them cheese sandwiches for some reason. I remember trying the canned Campbell's condensed tomato soup once maybe when I was 10 or 11 and very much disliking it. But as you know, that canned condensed stuff is so incredibly different that real tomato soup.
Fast forward to me as an adult and I cannot get enough tomato soup and grilled cheese. It's one of my favorite comforting chilly weather meals and it's so easy to make, so it's a win-win in that regard. Sure, you can fancy up the grilled cheese with bougie bread and cheeses, but however you eat it, there's nothing quite like dipping that crunchy, gooey sandwich into hot, slightly creamy, tart, and comforting tomato soup.
I love this soup because it's simple and exactly what you want when you're craving tomato soup. There's no secret ingredient to take it over the top; no elaborate preparation. Just classic tomato soup. I will say though that having an immersion blender has been a game changer in the preparation of this soup for me. You don't need one, but it is one of my favorite kitchen tools and I use it constantly. I highly recommend one if you don't have it.
I hope you enjoy this creamy tomato soup as much as me - Let me know what you think. Stay cozy!
Creamy Tomato Soup
Makes ~ 10 cups of soup (about 6-8 servings)
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes**This recipe may include affiliate links for which I may be paid a commission for purchases made through the link.**
Click the file below to download and print the recipe
I recommend reading the recipe all the way through, including the recipe notes at the bottom, before you start cooking.
Ingredients:
½ of a large onion, diced
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular canned diced tomatoes)
4 C. low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ - 1 C. regular whipping cream
A handful of basil leaves (~3oz.)
1-2 TB sugar (optional and as needed)*
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
Special equipment:
Immersion blender, food processor, or blender**
Directions:
In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 TB of olive oil over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the onions in the oil and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If the onions are starting to brown, turn down the heat.
Once the onions are soft, add the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, juice and all, to the pan with onions. Stir constantly (to avoid splatter) for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes are hot. This is to help cook off some of the metallic flavor from the cans.
Now pour in the chicken broth along with the Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, likely 1 tsp. of each. Stir and taste again. If your soup tastes really acidic, add 1 TB of sugar. You may need to add up to 2 TB depending on your tomatoes.
Keep the soup covered and at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes. Do not let it boil. Check occasionally and adjust the heat as needed.
After 20-30 minutes, stir in the basil and remove from the heat. I like to let it cool off a bit before blending. Carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. See notes below if using a food processor or blender.
Once the soup is blended, stir in the cream. Use ½ to 1 cup of cream, depending on your preference for creaminess. Reheat the soup just to bring it back up to temperature. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread of grilled cheese sandwiches.
*Recipe notes + Variations*
*Don’t worry too much about sugar content here. The amount you may add is negligible to the amount of soup you’re making. The sugar counteracts the acidity in the tomatoes to balance out the flavor, not make it sweet. Every can of tomatoes is different so you may not need much sugar one time and another time you need 1.5 – 2 TB. Add a little at a time and keep tasting so you don’t end up adding too much.
**If you don’t have any of these, it’s not completely necessary, you’ll just have a more rustic, chunky soup. Instead of adding the basil leaves whole, finely chop them and stir them in along with the cream. I LOVE this immersion blender. It's cordless, holds a charge, and is really easy to control.
If you are using a blender or food processor, work in batches to blend the soup. Be sure to remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the opening with a towel. This allows steam to escape and not cause an explosion of hot soup.
Make this vegetarian by using vegetable stock. Make it vegan by using plant-based cream.