How To Make Easy Tomato Basil Soup

This easy tomato basil soup recipe uses canned fire roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, sauteed onion and garlic, chicken broth, and a splash of heavy cream. It comes together in under 30 minutes on the stovetop and blends into a silky, restaurant-quality soup that the whole family will ask for on repeat.

I am going to tell you how to make easy tomato basil soup! This tomato soup is literally one of the family favorites in the fall and winter. Serve it up with some gooey grilled cheese, and you have yourself a simple but fantastic meal that tastes straight out of a restaurant.

Once you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go, you start by sauteing onions and garlic to build that incredible flavor base. Then, let your fire roasted tomatoes and chicken broth simmer together so all those ingredients can break down and develop beautifully.

I definitely prefer using fresh basil for this. If you have it, you will want to get it into a little stack, roll it up tightly, and slice it up into ribbons! Toss that in right at the end before blending everything into a smooth and creamy masterpiece.

Why You Will Love This Easy Tomato Basil Soup

• It is Incredibly Quick: You can have this restaurant quality soup on the table in under 30 minutes.
• Pantry Friendly: Using canned fire roasted tomatoes means you can make this year round without waiting for peak tomato season.
• Family Approved: It is cozy, comforting, and the absolute perfect pairing for a classic grilled cheese sandwich. Even the picky eaters love this one!

Seriously, this is definitely one of the family favorites and it is so easy to make at home.

If you love a quick, deeply satisfying weeknight dinner that comes together just this fast, you are also going to want to bookmark my Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta for your next dinner night.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Immersion blender (highly recommended for easy blending right in the pot! If you do not have one, a standard countertop blender works fine with a few safety steps.)
• Large saucepan or Dutch oven

The Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 2 cups (240 to 480ml) chicken broth (use 1 cup for a thicker soup or 2 cups for a standard consistency; sub vegetable broth to make this vegetarian)
• 2 (15 oz) cans or one 30 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Pinch of sugar (optional, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes)
• 12 large leaves fresh basil, sliced into ribbons (about 2 tbsp) OR 1 to 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream

Let us Get Cooking!

1. Prep the Basil

Stack your fresh basil leaves, roll them up tightly, and slice them with a sharp knife. You should end up with about 2 tablespoons. Set aside.

2. Saute the Aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and saute until soft and translucent (about 5 to 7 minutes). Stir in the minced garlic and let it cook for about 90 seconds until fragrant.

3. Simmer and Build Flavor

Pour in the chicken broth and the canned fire roasted tomatoes along with their juices. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and an optional pinch of sugar. If you find your tomatoes taste particularly acidic once they go in, you can also add a tiny pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of baking soda right now, before blending, to mellow that out beautifully. Give it a stir to combine and bring it to a simmer. Let this simmer uncovered on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes so all those ingredients can break down and develop beautifully.

4. Add Basil and Blend

Remove the pot from the heat. Toss in your fresh basil. Note that if you are using dried basil instead, add it earlier during the simmering step! Grab your immersion blender and puree the tomatoes, onion, and basil right in the pot. You can pulse blend it to leave some rustic chunks, or blend it all the way until completely smooth.

If using a standard countertop blender: Work in small batches and never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquid. Hold a folded kitchen towel firmly over the lid with both hands and start on the lowest speed before increasing. Venting the top prevents steam pressure from building up and blowing the lid off. Hot soup scalds are no joke, so please be careful here!

5. The Creamy Finish

Pour in the 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Give this a final stir to combine, taste to adjust salt and pepper if needed, and you are ready to eat!

What to Serve With Tomato Basil Soup

This creamy tomato basil soup was basically born to be eaten alongside:

• A classic grilled cheese sandwich. This is the pairing that makes this soup a full, deeply satisfying meal.
• My Easy Homemade Garlic Bread for dunking into that creamy broth. Absolutely unbeatable.
• A simple green salad if you want to lighten things up.
• Crusty sourdough or a warm baguette for the most cozy, bread-forward bowl night possible.

How to Store Tomato Basil Soup

• Refrigerator: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days.
• Reheat: Gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a small splash of broth if it has thickened in the fridge.
• Freezer: This soup freezes beautifully, but freeze it before adding the cream! Dairy tends to separate and become grainy when frozen. Freeze the cream-free tomato base in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you reheat it on the stovetop, stir in fresh heavy cream right before serving.

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Easy Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (Ready in 30 Minutes!)

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: Dinner, SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

185

kcal

Total time

30

minutes

A comforting, restaurant-quality creamy tomato basil soup made with fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and a splash of heavy cream. Ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for pairing with grilled cheese!

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Immersion blender or standard countertop blender

• Large saucepan or Dutch oven

• Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil

• 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced (approx. 150g)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 to 2 cups (240 to 480ml) chicken broth (sub vegetable broth for vegetarian)

• 30 oz (850g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, canned with juices

• 1/2 tsp (3g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp (1g) black pepper

• 1 pinch granulated sugar, optional to cut acidity

• 12 large fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons (approx. 8g / 2 tbsp) OR 1 to 2 tsp dried basil

• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (sub full fat coconut milk for dairy-free)

Directions

• Stack fresh basil leaves, roll tightly, and slice into thin ribbons. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and saute for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Add minced garlic and cook for 90 seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in chicken broth and fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices. Add salt, pepper, and optional sugar or baking soda to balance acidity. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables break down and flavors develop.
• Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil.
• Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, or use a standard blender in small batches (fill no more than halfway, hold lid firmly with a folded towel, start on low speed).
• Stir in heavy cream until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Fresh vs. Dried Basil: Fresh basil goes in at the end. Dried basil (1 to 2 tsp) goes in during simmering so it rehydrates properly.
• Acidity Trick: A tiny pinch of baking soda (about 1/8 tsp) added before blending or a pinch of sugar will perfectly mellow out sour tomatoes.
• Blender Safety: Never fill a countertop blender more than halfway with hot liquid. Hold a folded kitchen towel over the lid firmly and start on low speed.
• Freezing: Freeze before adding cream! Store the dairy-free base in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Stir in fresh cream when reheating.
• Vegetarian/Vegan: Use vegetable broth and substitute heavy cream with full fat coconut milk or cashew cream.
• Allergen Note: Contains dairy (heavy cream). Use chicken broth as default (not vegetarian). See substitution notes above for dietary swaps.
• Nutrition: Calories are estimated and will vary based on broth quantity, cream amount, and serving size.