Creamy Tomato Soup
This homemade creamy tomato soup transforms simple pantry ingredients into a rich, restaurant-quality soup that pairs perfectly with grilled cheese sandwiches or crusty bread.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot - at least 5-quart capacity
- Immersion Blender - or regular blender
- Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle - for serving
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - 30ml
- 1 large yellow onion - diced, about 1½ cups or 200g
- 2 medium carrots - peeled and diced, about 1 cup or 130g
- 2 stalks celery - diced, about ¾ cup or 100g
- 4 cloves garlic - minced, about 1 tablespoon or 12g
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste - 30g
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes - San Marzano preferred, 1.6kg total
- 3 cups chicken broth - or vegetable broth, 720ml
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 12g
- ¼ cup fresh basil - chopped, about 10g, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sea salt - 6g, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - 2g, or to taste
For Finishing
- ¾ cup heavy cream - 180ml
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese - freshly grated, 50g, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces. Mince the garlic and chop the basil.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until it darkens slightly.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, sugar, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender working in batches.
- Return the pot to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese until melted and heated through. Do not boil.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Tomato quality: San Marzano tomatoes have naturally lower acidity and more sweetness. If unavailable, use whole peeled tomatoes rather than diced.
- Don't rush sautéing: Cooking the vegetables slowly develops natural sweetness and prevents bitter flavors.
- Prevent curdling: Always remove the pot from direct heat before adding cream to prevent curdling.
- Adjust acidity: If your soup tastes too acidic, add an extra ½ to 1 tablespoon of sugar or stir in ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 4-5 days. The soup may thicken; thin with broth or cream when reheating.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make it vegan: Use olive oil instead of butter, vegetable broth, coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
- Spicy variation: Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic for a spicy kick.
- Parmesan rind trick: Add a Parmesan rind to the simmering soup and remove before blending for extra umami flavor.
- Reheat gently: Warm over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.