This fresh tomato basil soup recipe made with a blender is full of creamy sweet tomato flavor using just-picked tomatoes, onions, basil, marsala wine, a little butter, and cream. The secret is to start with fresh tomatoes and use a blender to make a creamy bowl of soup.

This fresh tomato soup is perfect for an easy lunch, or you can even make a big batch and can it or freeze it for later!

homemade tomato soup with croutons, basil and parmesan on it

I’ve been on a hunt for quite some time for the perfect tomato soup recipe. I knew I wanted it to be fresh-tasting, having a hint of basil and a slight bit of chunkiness to the tomato base. 

Experimenting with ingredient combinations I have come up with the perfect fresh tomato basil soup recipe. You can serve it as a classic tomato basil soup or make it creamy with some cream and butter.

When I’m craving tomato soup with a little more spice, this Mexican Tomato Soup makes a nice change! For more veggies, this Vegetable Chowder Recipe and Carrot and Chickpea Soup are super satisfying.

I also enjoy hearty soups to serve up for a main course, such as this Texas Roadhouse Soup, Instant Pot Clam Chowder, Zuppa Soup, and Lemon Rice Soup.

😊 Why you will love this recipe

  • The BEST tomato soup recipe with great flavor and a super creamy texture.
  • Made with simple ingredients making super fresh flavors.
  • Homemade tomato soup recipe the whole family will love.
  • The perfect soup for any time of year. Light enough for summers and a great way to warm up in the winter!
  • A good tomato soup that’s perfect for canning soup so you have soup throughout the winter months.

🛒 Ingredient notes

This easy tomato soup recipe is made using simple, mostly fresh ingredients. You should be able to find what you need in the grocery store.

tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, marsala wine, sugar salt, butter whipping cream
  • Fresh Tomatoes – Choose a meaty flesh tomato such as Roma tomatoes. Be sure they are fully ripe with no blemishes.
  • Aromatics: Use fresh minced garlic cloves and onions. I like to use a sweet onion such as Vidalias
  • Basil: Only use fresh basil leaves for the best flavor. Dried basil you get in the jar will not do.
  • Marsala wine: You just need a splash but this is the secret ingredient to this delicious homemade tomato basil soup.
  • Sugar: My grandma always told me to add a bit of sugar to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes. Making a slightly sweeter tomato soup.
  • Butter and cream: This makes your soup creamy and perfect for dipping a toasted cheese sandwich.

See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and quantities for each.

🔪 How to Make Tomato Basil Soup

Making this classic tomato soup recipe is easy! Let’s look at the main steps involved. Check the recipe card for the full list of instructions.

Prep tomatoes: Blanch whole tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for a minute or two. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water and when cooled, peel away the skin and cut out the core. Cut tomatoes in half and place them in a large stockpot.

tomatoes in pan of boiling water and tomatoes in ice water

Saute the veggies: Add the onions, basil, and garlic to the tomatoes and cook on medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

Blend the soup: Use a stick blender and mix until smooth. Add marsala, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pot. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.

⭐ Hint: I like to blend this soup rather than serve it chunky. Using an immersion blender makes it so much easier than transferring hot soup to a regular blender.

Make the cream sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, simmering until just slightly brown. Stirring continually, add flour, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the cream until thickened. Next, add the cream sauce to the tomato soup. Bring to a low simmer, and serve warm. This step is optional, depending on if you like a creamier tomato soup.

cream sauce in a skillet with spoon

🔀 Variations

Here are a few ideas for changing up this creamy tomato soup!

  • Vegan: It’s easy to make this vegetarian soup vegan. Leave out the butter and cream after cooking. However, if you like a creamy vegan soup, then replace the cream sauce with Spicy Cashew Cream Sauce for a creamy flavor.
  • Spicy: For a hint of spice, I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can add more or less until it’s as spicy as you like!
  • Slightly chunky: Blend only half the soup!

🥡 How to Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerator: Store this tomato basil soup recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I suggest you make the cream sauce each time you are ready to serve a bowl of soup.
  • Freezer: This soup freezes well. Just allow the soup to cool after cooking. Ladle it into freezer-safe containers or quart freezer bags. If you put leftovers in freezer bags, lay them on a cookie sheet, stacking as needed, and freeze them. Once frozen, remove the cookie sheet and stack bags on a freezer shelf.
  • Reheat: Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop. At this point, you can make the cream sauce and add it to the pan. The soup should always be frozen before the cream is added.

Tomato basil soup canning recipe

Canning tomato basil soup works great when you have lots of fresh tomatoes and basil on hand. Once it’s cooked and canned, you can enjoy tomato soup for months in the future!

If you would like to can this fresh basil tomato soup recipe, then be sure and head over to Canning Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes Recipe for step-by-step directions.

tomato soup canned in pint jars

🥗 What to Serve with Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is always good with a grilled cheese sandwich or good crusty bread. Try my Italian Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread for a delicious side with your soup.

Toppings: Add on some crunchy homemade croutons, fresh basil strips, parmesan cheese, spicy seed salad topping, a drizzle of olive oil, or even a dollop of sour cream to the top.

Sandwich: For a light lunch, serve up half of a sandwich. This marinated grilled vegetable sandwich, chicken salad sandwiches, or even a fancy selection of tea sandwiches for a ladies’ lunch.

Salad: Salads make a winning combination with this creamy tomato soup, especially if you want something on the lighter side. Try my Mediterranean quinoa salad, Caesar salad, or a tasty Fuji apple salad.

💭 Top tips

  • The best tomatoes for soup: Plum tomatoes, also known as Roma are the best tomatoes to cook with. Their thin skins, relatively low water content, and minimal seeds mean that they are perfect for making tomato soup.
  • Use caution when blending the soup. Even though an immersion blender is safer, it can splatter some so be careful when blending.
  • For a creamier soup. Don’t skip the butter and cream.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender. You can use a food mill, food processor or even a regular blender to puree the soup.
tomato soup topped with croutons and parmesan

❓ FAQs

Here are some popular questions about tomato soup you might want to learn about.

Is tomato soup good for you?

According to FEMINA, tomato soup is very high in a number of essential nutrients. For starters, this vegetable, which is technically a fruit, is rich in lycopene. 

This nutrient gives tomatoes their bright red color and is a powerful antioxidant. It protects against aging, heart disease, stroke, and a host of other diseases. A cup of tomato soup contains about 13.3 mg of lycopene. 

Also, the interesting thing is that the body absorbs lycopene better when tomatoes are cooked, hence the nutritional benefits from tomato soup is greater than raw tomatoes. Tomatoes are also packed with vitamins A, C, and B6.

What is the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque?

A traditional bisque is made with stock from shellfish such as lobster or crab. Bisque usually consists of dairy cream to make it rich. Regular tomato soup would be just tomatoes and spices. Adding dairy cream to make it creamier is optional.

What’s the best way to remove tomato peel to make soup?

Blanch tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water. Remove the tomatoes after a minute or two and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, simply peel away the skin and cut out the core. Cut tomatoes in ½, then place in a large stockpot.

Hungry for More Soup Recipes?

tomato soup topped with croutons and parmesan
5 from 1 rating
by Gina Dickson

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 cups
This fresh tomato basil soup recipe is full of creamy sweet tomato flavor using just-picked tomatoes, onions, basil, marsala wine, a little butter, and cream.  Fresh tomato soup is perfect for an easy lunch, and you can even make a big batch and can it for later!

Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.

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Ingredients
 

  • 2 1/2 lbs tomatoes, Roma – about 3 cups of cored, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • â…“ cup onion, sweet, chopped
  • â…“ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon marsala wine
  • â…“ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Cream Sauce

  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • 3 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup whipping cream

Equipment

immersion blender

Instructions
 

  • Blanch tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water. Remove the tomatoes after a minute or two and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water
  • When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, simply peel away the skin and cut out core
  • Cut tomatoes in ½ then place in a large stock pot
  • Add onions, basil, garlic, and thyme
  • Cook on medium-low heat until vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes
  • Using an immersion blender, mix until smooth
  • Add marsala, sugar, salt and pepper

Instructions for creamy tomato basil soup (optional)

  • In a sperate pan, heat butter, simmering until just slightly brown
  • Add flour, cook for 1 minute continually stirring
  • Whisk in the cream until smooth.
  • Next, add the cream sauce to the tomato soup. Bring to a low simmer, and serve warm. 

Notes

  • The best tomatoes for soup: Plum tomatoes, also known as Roma are the best tomatoes to cook with. Their thin skins, relatively low water content, and minimal seeds mean that they are perfect for making tomato soup.
  • Use caution when blending the soup. Even though an immersion blender is safer, it can splatter some so be careful when blending.
  • For a creamier soup. Don’t skip the butter and cream.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 365kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 345mg, Potassium: 756mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 3366IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 94mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Soup
Author: Gina Dickson
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Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2020 but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in August 2022.