Soup · American
How do you make creamy tomato basil soup from scratch?
The short answer
Soften onion and garlic in olive oil, add canned tomatoes, stock and a pinch of sugar, and simmer 20 minutes. Blend until smooth, stir in fresh basil and a splash of cream, then season. It is ready in about 40 minutes and tastes worlds better than canned.
Canned tomato soup has its place, but forty minutes and a can of good whole tomatoes give you something far richer and fresher. Blending the simmered tomatoes makes it velvety, and a handful of basil stirred in at the end keeps the flavour bright.
This is a forgiving recipe — the quality of your canned tomatoes matters more than anything else, so buy the best you can. Serve it with crusty bread or, better still, a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking. It also pairs beautifully with a crisp Greek salad.
Can I make tomato basil soup without cream?
Yes. Leave the cream out for a lighter, vegan soup, or swap in oat or coconut cream. The blended tomatoes are already smooth, so the soup stays satisfying — the cream only adds richness and rounds off the acidity.
Tips
- A pinch of sugar balances the acidity of canned tomatoes; taste and adjust.
- For extra depth, roast the tomatoes and onion at 200 °C (400 °F) for 25 minutes before simmering.
- No immersion blender? Cool slightly and blend in batches in a regular blender, holding the lid with a towel.
Storage
Cool completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (freeze before adding cream for the best texture). Reheat gently on the stove.
SiteName Kitchen
Soup · American
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Silky homemade tomato basil soup from canned tomatoes — ready in 40 minutes, naturally vegetarian, and far better than anything from a can.
- Prep
- Cook
- Total
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- ~280 kcal / per serving
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 800 g (28 oz) canned whole tomatoes
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 tsp sugar
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) heavy cream, plus extra to serve
- 20 g (a large handful) fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- 2
Add the canned tomatoes (crushing them by hand), the stock and the sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- 3
Stir in most of the basil, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
- 4
Stir in the cream and warm through gently without boiling. Season well with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Serve topped with the remaining basil and a swirl of cream.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Immersion blender
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