Tomato Soup Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This tomato soup recipe is the one I make when the weather turns cold and I want something warm in a bowl quickly: fresh tomatoes, onion, ginger and basil, simmered and blended until smooth. There is no cream, butter or cornstarch in it. A little bread cooked with the tomatoes gives it body, and it is ready in about 30 minutes.
Delicious Recipe! Made it for lunch today and added some crushed black pepper as well. Loved it!
Why This Recipe Works
- Fresh tomatoes, peeled. A quick blanch slips the skins off, so the soup blends smooth without straining.
- Creamy without cream. Bread simmers with the tomatoes and blends in, so this tomato soup recipe needs no cream, butter or cornstarch.
- Nine ingredients, about 30 minutes. Five minutes of prep, and the stove does the rest.
- A light bowl. About 127 calories and 2 grams of fiber per serving, by the recipe card’s estimate.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Full quantities are in the recipe card. These are the ones worth a word.
- Tomatoes. Ripe, red tomatoes give the best color and flavor; Roma or vine-ripened both work. When good fresh tomatoes are out of season, use canned whole tomatoes and skip the blanching step.
- Bread. Plain sandwich bread, torn into pieces. It is the thickener, so don’t leave it out. Use gluten-free bread if you need the soup gluten-free.
- Fresh ginger. Finely chopped. It adds a gentle warmth you won’t find in most tomato soups.
- Red chili. Chili flakes or red chili powder. Use less for a milder soup.
- Tomato paste (optional). If you like an intense tomato flavor, add a little with the tomatoes. It also deepens the red color.
- Equipment. An immersion blender, like this Ninja immersion blender, blends the soup right in the pot. Tomatoes are acidic, so use a non-reactive pot, such as stainless steel or an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. For the freezer, Souper Cubes freeze the soup in 1-cup portions.
How to Make Tomato Soup
1. Blanch and peel the tomatoes. Cut a small slit in each tomato and lower them into boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until the skins start to split. Move them to ice-cold water, slip off the skins and chop into chunks.
2. Soften the onion. Warm the olive oil in a pot over low heat. Add the onion, ginger and chili and cook until the onion is soft, not browned. This slow start is the flavor base, so don’t rush it.
3. Cook the tomatoes with basil and bread. Add the chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, salt and the torn bread. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the bread is completely soft.
4. Add water and simmer. Pour in the water, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Blend until smooth. Keep the heat low and blend the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until no pulp is left. With a regular blender, let the soup cool first, then blend and return it to the pot.
6. Simmer and serve. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and finish with black pepper, parsley and croutons. The full method is in the recipe card below.
Rekha’s Note
The bread is what makes this soup work. Let it cook with the tomatoes until it is completely soft before you blend, or the soup turns grainy instead of silky. Because there is no cream or butter, a bowl stays light, so I like to add some protein on the side, such as eggs or a cheese toast, to make it a meal.
Rekha
Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 gram Tomatoes (4 whole)
- 75 gram Onion Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 600 ml Water
- 10 Basil leaves Sprig
- 2 Bread slices
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Take fresh tomatoes and make small slits at the bottom of the tomatoes and keep them aside.
- Now, take a deep pot and pour water into it. Allow the water to boil and then carefully add tomatoes in it.
- When the tomatoes are soft and the skin peels off the tomatoes, carefully take them out one by one in a plate.
- Take a bowl full of cold water and put the tomatoes in them.
- When the tomatoes are cold and soft, take them out of the cold water bowl and keep them on a plate. Peel off the skin of the tomatoes one by one and then cut them into pieces.
- Heat some oil (olive oil) in a pan and when it starts to smoke add chopped onions, a teaspoon of chopped ginger and a teaspoon of red chili powder.
- Mix them well and saute the onions until they are golden brown. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Now, add the tomato pieces, a sprig of basil leaves, salt and bread pieces in the pan.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir them and mash the tomatoes with the back of the spoon ’til the tomatoes are well mashed. Cover the tomatoes with a lid.
- When the tomatoes start to cook take off the lid and add water in it.
- Keep the heat to slow and blend the tomato soup with a blender. Keep blending the soup until no pulp of tomatoes is left.
- Now, mix the tomato soup and cook for another 2-to-3 minutes and serve hot. Pour some olive oil and serve the soup with crispy bread pieces.
Rekha’s Notes
- If you like intense tomato flavor you must use tomato paste in the prep. The paste gives it a beautiful red color and adds great taste of tomatoes to the soup.
- If you want the quick tomato soup with canned tomatoes you can skip the pre-cooking step and
- Drizzle some olive oil on the soup before serving it.
Nutrition
- Soup too thin? Simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes. It also thickens as it cools.
- Too tangy? Some tomatoes are sharper than others. A pinch of sugar stirred in at the end balances the acidity.
- Not smooth? Check that all the skins came off, and blend longer, until no pulp is left.
- Pale color or flat flavor? The tomatoes were not ripe enough. A little tomato paste brings back the color and the tomato taste.
- Using a regular blender? Let the soup cool first, fill the jar only halfway and hold the lid down with a towel. Hot soup expands when it blends.
Tomato Soup Variations
- Creamy tomato soup. Stir in a splash of cream or coconut milk after blending.
- Tomato basil soup. Add a handful of extra fresh basil just before you blend.
- Milder. Halve the chili, or leave it out for kids.
- Roasted. For a deeper, sweeter flavor, roast the tomatoes first: that is my roasted tomato soup.
What to Serve With Tomato Soup
- A sandwich. Grilled cheese is the classic. For something different, try my Japanese egg sandwich.
- Eggs. Toast with a fried egg turns a bowl into dinner.
- A salad. A high-protein black chickpea salad adds what the soup is short on.
- A second soup. For a soup night, put it next to my easy vegetable soup or this tomato pasta soup.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Fridge. Cool the soup and keep it in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat. Warm it gently on the stove. The bread makes it thicken as it sits, so stir in a splash of water.
Common Questions
Can I make this tomato soup recipe with canned tomatoes?
Yes. Use canned whole tomatoes and skip the blanching and peeling step. One 14.5-ounce can is close to the 400 grams of fresh tomatoes in the recipe card.
How do you thicken tomato soup without cream?
With bread. Torn bread simmers with the tomatoes and blends into the soup, which gives it body without cream, butter or cornstarch. For a thicker soup, simmer it a few minutes longer after blending.
Do I have to peel the tomatoes for tomato soup?
Peeling gives the smoothest soup, and blanching makes the skins slip off in seconds. If you skip it, blend longer and strain the soup to catch any bits of skin.
Perfect Timing, as I was actually thinking of buying canned soups for chilly winters. Now, I can cook this delicious and creamy homemade tomato soup. Thanks!
I loved your Coriander lemon soup and Tomato Pasta Soup.
I am really excited to try this no cream Tomato Soup. I am sure it will taste absolutely delicious.
Looks so delicious! I always prefer homemade soups over store bought ones. I love the idea of drizzling the soup with some olive oil. Worth a try!
I don’t like tomatoes but this soup looks delicious. I love all of your recipes and will try this one soon too!
Delicious Recipe! Made it for lunch today and added some crushed black pepper as well. Loved it!
OMG GREAT STUFF