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    Home » Blog » Whole Food Recipes » Homemade Soup Recipes

    February 14, 2018 | By Jami

    Best Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe (You'll Never Go Back To Canned)

    Jump to Recipe

    This recipe for homemade tomato soup from scratch is easy to make and fairly quick, making it a weeknight option, plus it tastes so good you'll never go back to soup out of a can. See more Quick Healthy Recipes here.

    Homemade Tomato Soup in bowls

    Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

    Tomato soup and cheesy something - tuna melts, open face melts, grilled cheese or quesadillas - is one of my favorite basic, comforting meals from my childhood that I often served to my kids. It's one of those "fall-back recipes" to have in your menu planning arsenal for busy days.

    Back in the day, canned tomato soup was a staple in our house. I actually didn't even think about making it from scratch - did people really do that? Not anyone in my circle.

    But then, as you know, came the curse of label-reading. Uck. And that's all I'm going to say about what I found on the label.

    Tomato soup in white bowl

    Really, though, I can't believe how many years I just bought things completely oblivious to what was in them. And if I'm being honest (and I try to be here...), part of me looks back with fondness on the time when I just threw things in my cart and went on my merry way.

    The other part of me is horrified. So that part wins.

    And you know what? Once I finally did make tomato soup from scratch I realized how easy it is. But more importantly, I found out how much better it tastes. Way more like tomatoes and a lot less like watery ketchup (thanks to all the added sugar in canned soups).

    Can you make this with fresh tomatoes?

    Yes you can - that's another great thing about this easy recipe, it works just as well with chopped fresh tomatoes as it does with canned tomatoes! So when you've got lots of fresh tomatoes coming in from the garden, this is the recipe for you.

    What about the skins?

    You can skin the tomatoes if you'd like before chopping so they're more like canned (here's a quicker way to peel tomatoes), but I've found that after cooking and blending, the skins aren't really noticeable. So it's up to you.

    Okay, let's make some homemade tomato soup - I promise this is the best tomato soup recipe and you really will never go back to canned!

    Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe

    Ingredients for tomato soup recipe

    These are the ingredients needed to make a basic tomato soup. Occasionally I'll add orange juice (I know it sounds weird, but it adds sweetness and flavor) and in fall always fresh basil, but this is the basis for all the variations:

    • butter
    • onion
    • garlic
    • carrots (No, you don't have to add carrots technically, but this recipe went from "good" to "wow" when I did.)
    • chopped tomatoes (both fresh and canned work)
    • chicken or vegetable broth
    • spices


    How to Make Tomato Soup

    Making homemade tomato soup from scratch is as simple as sautéing onions in butter, adding the rest of the ingredients and boiling for a bit before blending everything up until smooth. Yep, it's that simple.

    Using a handheld immersion blender to make tomato soup

    I used to pour the soup (in batches) into a blender and would often get sprayed with hot liquid. Not fun, plus there were extra dishes to wash.

    Then I discovered immersion hand-held blenders and was in love! I started with a cheap-o plastic one because it was only seven bucks and I wasn't sure how good they would work (little did I know). It lasted for a few years, but the plastic didn't hold up well in hot soup (duh...since then I've read all about how plastic and hot things should never go together...).

    Now I use a Cuisinart Immersion Blender with an all metal, removable neck and blade. It's not too expensive and works perfect, holding up to hot soups and sauces (like our favorite pizza sauce) with no problems.

    Homemade Tomato Soup in bowls

    When I first started making homemade tomato soup I used only onions and tomatoes as the vegetables. We all liked it, but when I added some leftover carrots one time to use them up, that's what took the soup from good to great.

    Really - I've had guests say it's the best tomato soup they've ever had!

    Tomato soup in bowls with soup pot

    While making soup from scratch is obviously not as quick as opening a can, this recipe takes only 20 to 30 minutes from start to finish, which is still a quick meal.

    While it's cooking, you can prepare your cheesy side and have a quality, real food meal on the table for any weeknight.

    Homemade Tomato Soup on spoon

    No cans needed.

    Homemade Tomato Soup on spoon
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.62 from 85 votes

    Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe

    This recipe for homemade tomato soup is easy to make and fairly quick, making it a weeknight option, plus it tastes so good you'll never go back to soup out of a can.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Soups
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 8 servings
    Author: Jami Boys

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 2 carrots peeled and chopped
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 TB. chopped fresh in season
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 4 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 14-ounce cans
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

    Instructions

    • Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
    • Blend with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender) until smooth.
    • When serving, garnish with sliced green onions, parsley, or fresh basil.

    Notes

    Using the thyme and basil gives it a pizza-like flavor, leave out if you'd prefer or replace with oregano.
    You can replace 1/4 cup of the stock with orange juice for a unique, bright flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.2g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 5.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 431mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 5.6g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

     

    Other easy soups you may like:

    Cauliflower Cheese Soup

    Cauliflower Cheese Soup

     

    Slow Cooker Sausage- Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach with bread

    Slow Cooker Sausage-Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach

     

    Bone Broth Chicken and Vegetable Soup- An Oregon Cottage

    Bone Broth Chicken and Vegetable Soup

     

     

     

     

    Disclosure: affiliate links in this post will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

     

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    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. George M. Dunne says

      September 30, 2023 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious use of cosmetically challenged late season tomato harvest. I would like to have your recommendation on using a thickening agent other than tomato paste.

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 02, 2023 at 2:12 pm

        Glad this worked for you! The only thing I would try is to use potato starch or arrowroot powder (both mixed with a bit of cold water first).

        Reply
    2. Rick Rohan says

      September 05, 2023 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful.
      Do you know if this freezes well?
      Thanks,
      Rick

      Reply
      • Jami says

        September 07, 2023 at 11:42 am

        Glad you liked this recipe!
        Yes - it freezes perfectly.

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My desire is to help you live a simple homemade life through delicious whole food recipes, easy organic gardening and preserving your harvest.

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