This creamy Tomato Soup with Canned Tomatoes provides rich, comforting flavor, made entirely with simple pantry staples. This cozy, easy meal comes together in just 25 minutes and pairs perfectly with a classic grilled cheese sandwich.
⭐A Quick Look At The Recipe⭐
- Time & Yield: 25 Minutes & 4 Servings
- Taste & Texture: Velvety smooth, thick, and creamy, with a bright, tangy sweetness and a comforting flavor.
- Top 3 Highlights: Ready in 25 minutes using simple pantry staples. Consistent, rich flavor any time of the year. Easily customizable for vegan or spicy variations.
My tomato paste soup is one of my most popular tomato soup recipes, and a few readers have asked for a similar version made with canned tomatoes.
This creamy canned tomato soup is my answer: a cozy, delicious, and simple meal for busy days.
After a couple of tries, here are my secrets for the perfect creamy & rich canned tomato soup. Simmering the tomatoes (to soften their naturally sharp flavor), blending with olive oil (to create a luxurious base), and adding brown sugar (to balance the tanginess).
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
- Olive oil: Feel free to substitute with butter for that creamy finish.
- Onion: Yellow, sweet, or red onions help balance tomato acidity.
- Garlic powder: I've made it with garlic powder to keep this recipe minimal-prep. However, you can substitute garlic cloves for more flavor.
- Tomatoes: I used canned diced tomatoes, but crushed or whole peeled work beautifully. For the absolute best flavor, use San Marzano tomatoes, which are naturally sweeter and less acidic than standard varieties.
- Broth: I prefer chicken broth for its rich flavor, but if you want to make this soup vegan, use vegetable broth instead.
- Sugar: A pinch to balance the canned tomato's acidity.
- Dried Basil: You can substitute it with rosemary or fresh herbs.
- Crushed red pepper: Optional. Adds a subtle heat.
- Half-and-half: Helps to balance the canned tomatoes' tanginess. You can substitute it with heavy cream for a creamier texture, or with whole milk or a full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
How To Make Tomato Soup With Canned Tomatoes
- Step 1. Sauté the onion in olive oil until it is soft and lightly golden.
- Step 2. Add tomatoes, broth, garlic powder, sugar, salt, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and basil; Close the lid and simmer 10 minutes.
- Step 3. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender.
- Step 4. Stir in half-and-half, then warm for 2 minutes; taste and adjust.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
- This recipe has a subtle heat, mainly from crushed red pepper flakes and ground black pepper.
- If you like a little extra kick, stir in more ground black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
The Leftovers
- You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When reheating, on the stove top or in the microwave, warm it gently over low heat to prevent the half-and-half from separating.
Tomato Soup with Canned Tomatoes FAQs
Serve this with a classic grilled cheese sandwich, crusty bread, or sourdough bread. And with a fresh salad, for a complete, comforting meal. For the garnish, add a splash of half-and-half, fresh basil, and homemade croutons.
Absolutely! If you're substituting, use about 2 pounds of ripe tomatoes. Blanch them, remove the skins, and then add them to the recipe just as you would canned tomatoes.
Of course! You can add carrots, cabbage, celery, bell peppers, or even extra onions. Just sauté them along with the onions at the beginning for added flavor and texture.
Canned tomatoes can sometimes have a sharp, metallic acidity. While a teaspoon of sugar helps balance the flavor, you can also stir in a tiny pinch (⅛ teaspoon) of baking soda. This chemically neutralizes the harsh acid immediately.
If you tried this Tomato Soup with Canned Tomatoes or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Tomato Soup With Canned Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 28 oz canned tomatoes (diced, crushed, or whole)
- 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspooon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried basil (See Notes. 2)
- ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream/full fat coconut milk
Instructions
- Over medium heat, place a Dutch oven or similar, add olive oil and chopped onion, and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and slightly golden.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes (including their juice), broth, garlic powder, sugar, salt, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper, and dried basil.
- Bring to a simmer, close the lid, and let it cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend.
- Use an immersion blender right in the pot to puree until smooth(or transfer carefully to a blender).
- Stir in the half-and-half and let it warm through for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and ENJOY with grilled cheese or croutons!!
Notes
- You can swap canned whole tomatoes with crushed or diced; chicken or vegetable broth both work well depending on preference or dietary needs.
- Dried basil works beautifully here, but you can swap it with Italian seasoning or oregano.
- For creaminess, use half-and-half or substitute heavy cream; for a lighter or vegan version, use whole milk or plant-based milk.
- Adjust heat easily by adding extra ground black pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; reheat gently to prevent curdling.
- Serve with croutons, fresh basil, or garlic bread; feel free to add veggies like celery, cabbage, peppers, or extra onions for more body.
