Easy Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe – Creamy Tomato Velouté

Traditional tomato soup is a French classic, loved for its simplicity and rich flavors.

Made with ripe tomatoes, tender onions, and fragrant herbs, this comforting homemade velouté evokes grandmother’s cooking and warms family meals on cool evenings.

Easy Homemade Tomato Soup with a Velvety Texture

This easy homemade tomato soup combines fresh or canned tomatoes with tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. The latter are my secret to a deeper, gently sweet tomato flavour without having to roast a tray of tomatoes first.

I used to find tomato soup too sharp, but a beautifully smooth soup I tasted during a trip to Turkey changed my mind. Since then, I have balanced the natural acidity of the tomatoes by cooking the onion well, frying the tomato paste briefly and adding concentrated sun-dried tomatoes.

• Ready in about 30 minutes: ideal for a quick lunch or light dinner.
• Smooth without potatoes: blending the softened vegetables creates the velouté texture.
• Fresh or canned tomatoes: the recipe works in every season.
• Cream is optional: the soup itself contains no dairy unless cream is added when serving.

Tomato Soup Ingredients and Helpful Notes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil: Used to soften the aromatics. Extra-virgin olive oil gives the finished soup a pleasant rounded flavour.
• 2 garlic cloves, minced: Add fragrance and savoury depth. Cook them gently because browned garlic can taste bitter.
• 1 onion, chopped: White, yellow or red onion will work. Let it soften properly so that its sweetness helps balance the tomatoes.
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste: Intensifies the tomato flavour and colour. Cooking it with the onion for a minute removes its raw, metallic edge.
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained, or 500 g ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded: Use whichever is at its best. Very ripe plum tomatoes are particularly suitable because they are fleshy and contain fewer seeds.
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, preferably packed in oil: These provide concentrated sweetness and umami. Drain off excess oil before adding them.
• 1 chicken bouillon cube: Adds body and seasoning. Substitute a vegetable bouillon cube to make the soup vegetarian.
• 1½ to 2 cups water: Begin with the smaller quantity. More can be added after blending if the soup is thicker than you prefer.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Add cautiously because bouillon cubes and sun-dried tomatoes may already be salty.
• Fresh cream, optional: A small swirl softens the tomato flavour and makes the presentation more indulgent. Add it when serving rather than boiling it in the soup.
• A few basil leaves, chopped, optional: Add fresh basil at the end so that its aroma remains bright. Dried basil may be added during simmering instead.

My tomato tip: When using fresh tomatoes, taste one before cooking. A fully ripe tomato should smell fragrant near the stem and taste naturally sweet. Pale, firm tomatoes often produce a watery, more acidic soup. Outside tomato season, good-quality canned tomatoes are usually the more reliable choice.

How to Make Creamy Tomato Soup

1. Build the aromatic base

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown.

Add the chopped onion with a small pinch of salt. Cook gently until softened, then stir in the tomato paste. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweeter.

2. Simmer the tomatoes

Add the diced fresh or canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and bouillon cube. Pour in 1½ cups of water and stir well.

Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the onion and tomatoes are completely tender. Avoid a vigorous boil, which reduces the liquid too quickly without improving the flavour.

3. Blend until velvety

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Blend directly in the pan with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, allow the soup to cool slightly and blend it in a countertop blender in small batches. Never seal a blender completely when processing very hot liquid; allow steam to escape according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Adjust the consistency and seasoning

Return the soup to low heat. Add some of the remaining water if a lighter consistency is desired. Taste before adding salt, then season with black pepper.

Serve hot with chopped basil and an optional swirl of cream. For an especially fine restaurant-style texture, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.

Thermomix tomato soup method

1. Place the olive oil, garlic and onion in the mixing bowl. Chop for 5 seconds/speed 5.
2. Scrape down the bowl, then sauté for 3 minutes/120°C/speed 1.
3. Add the tomato paste, fresh or canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and bouillon cube. Mix for 5 seconds/speed 5.
4. Add 1½ cups of water and cook for 15 minutes/100°C/speed 1.
5. Allow the soup to settle briefly, then blend progressively for 1 minute/speed 5–9.
6. Check the consistency and seasoning. Add a little more hot water if necessary, then serve with basil and optional cream.

How to Get Perfectly Balanced Tomato Soup

If the soup tastes too acidic

First, add a little cream or a small knob of butter; fat softens the perception of acidity. If necessary, add only a tiny pinch of sugar, taste and repeat. Too much sugar can disguise the tomato flavour instead of balancing it. A very small pinch of baking soda also reduces acidity, but add it cautiously because the soup will foam and too much can leave an unpleasant taste.

If the soup is too thin or too thick

For a thicker soup, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes after blending. There is normally no need for flour or cornstarch. If it is too thick, stir in hot water or unsalted stock a little at a time.

If the soup is not completely smooth

Blend for longer than you think necessary, especially when using tomato skins or sun-dried tomatoes. A fine-mesh sieve will remove any remaining seeds or pieces of skin. An immersion blender is convenient, while a powerful countertop blender generally produces the finest velouté.

How to prevent cream from curdling

Use full-fat cream and add it over low heat or directly to each bowl. Avoid boiling the soup after the cream has been added. Bringing cold cream closer to the soup’s temperature with a spoonful of hot soup before mixing it in also helps it remain smooth.

Variations and Ingredient Substitutions

• Creamy tomato basil soup: Blend a small handful of fresh basil into the finished soup, reserving a few leaves for serving.
• Vegan tomato soup: Use vegetable bouillon and serve with oat cream, cashew cream or unsweetened coconut cream.
• Creamy tomato soup without cream: Simply omit the garnish. The blended onion, tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes still produce a smooth texture.
• Roasted tomato version: Roast halved ripe tomatoes with onion and garlic until lightly caramelised, then proceed with the simmering and blending stages.
• Spicier soup: Add chilli flakes, harissa or smoked paprika with the tomato paste.

If using coconut milk, begin with a small amount because its flavour is more noticeable than oat or cashew cream. For this Mediterranean-style soup, a neutral plant cream is the closest substitute for dairy cream.

What to Serve with Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is particularly good with crusty bread, a grilled cheese sandwich or homemade garlic and herbes de Provence croutons. It can also be served with homemade Lebanese falafel for a more substantial vegetarian meal.

For a special starter, top each bowl with sautéed shrimp, an idea suggested by my husband that works surprisingly well with the sweet tomato and garlic flavours. Parmesan, toasted seeds, chickpeas or a spoonful of pesto are other satisfying toppings.

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Cool the soup promptly and keep it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the soup without the cream garnish for up to 3 months. Leave some room in the container for expansion.
• To thaw: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or reheat gently from frozen in a covered saucepan.
• To reheat: Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or stock if it has thickened.

If the thawed soup separates slightly, this does not mean it has spoiled. Reheat it gently and blend it briefly to restore its creamy consistency. Add dairy or plant cream only after reheating for the smoothest result.

Homemade Tomato Soup vs Store-Bought Soup

Homemade soup allows you to control the salt, thickness and amount of cream while preserving a fresher tomato flavour. Many ready-made soups rely on added starch, sugar or more salt to create consistency and extend shelf life. Their nutritional values vary considerably, so check the label rather than assuming that every commercial tomato soup is the same.

The advantage of this recipe is flavour control: add only enough bouillon to season the tomatoes, adjust the water after blending and decide whether the finished bowl needs cream at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do tomatoes need to be peeled for tomato soup?

Peeling is recommended when using fresh tomatoes if you want the finest possible texture. However, you can leave the skins on when using a powerful blender, then strain the soup after blending if necessary.

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes?

Yes. Canned tomatoes are often more flavourful than out-of-season fresh tomatoes. Drain them as specified so the soup does not become too watery. San Marzano-style plum tomatoes are an excellent option, but any good-quality canned diced tomatoes will work.

What is the secret to good tomato soup?

The secret is to build flavour in stages: soften the onion, cook the tomato paste, use ripe tomatoes and include a concentrated tomato ingredient. In this recipe, six sun-dried tomatoes add depth and natural sweetness without overwhelming the soup.

Can I freeze homemade tomato soup?

Yes. Freeze it before adding cream, then thaw and reheat gently. Blend it briefly if the texture appears separated after defrosting.

Can this tomato soup be made in a slow cooker?

Yes, although sautéing the onion, garlic and tomato paste first gives better flavour. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low, then blend until smooth.

Creamy Tomato Soup Video

Watch the video to see the desired consistency and how the ingredients come together before blending.

by Soulef