Super Easy Pantry Tomato Soup
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Somehow winter passed, and I didn’t make a single pot of tomato soup. Somehow spring arrived, and six inches of snow still covers my lawn. I’m craving rhubarb (cooking with it, too), but living on beans and bread; still making soup all the time.
Here’s the latest: creamy tomato soup from a 2012 Bon Appetit. The recipe is incredibly simple, calling for nearly all pantry items: onions, garlic, tomato paste, and canned peeled tomatoes.
Do add thyme to your shopping list, however, and heavy cream, which could be omitted, but I think it adds a necessary touch of richness—the soup is made with water (as opposed to stock), and a little cream goes a long way here balancing the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes.
I like to serve the soup with lots of freshly cracked pepper and shaved parmesan and bread, of course.
How to Make Tomato Soup, Step by Step
Sauté onions, garlic, and thyme in a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil until soft:
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste:
Cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes:
Add 4 cups water and a 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes:
Simmer for about 45 minutes:
Discard the thyme sprigs, and purée until smooth. Add cream and lots of pepper:
Serve with bread, toasty or not, and shaved parmesan, if you wish:
PrintSuper Easy Pantry Tomato Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Adapted from this Creamy Tomato Soup recipe in Bon Appetit
I’ve been making a half recipe (reflected in the ingredients below), which never lasts the day, so feel free to double it.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- a few sprigs thyme
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
- ¼ cup (or more) heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
- Fresh bread for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add thyme, onion, and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until onion is completely soft and translucent, 10–12 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add tomato paste. Continue cooking, stirring often, until paste has begun to caramelize in spots, 5–6 minutes—it will begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add tomatoes with juices and 4 cups water to pot. Increase heat to high; bring to a simmer. As the plum tomatoes rise to the surface while the soup simmers, use scissors to cut them up. (You’ll purée it later, but cutting them up helps them cook down better.) Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until flavors meld and soup reduces to about 1 quart, 45 minutes or so. Remove soup from heat; discard thyme sprigs. Working in small batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth or purée with an immersion blender.
- Stir in ¼ cup cream. Taste and adjust as needed. I usually add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, but I like salt, so season to taste or start with 1 teaspoon salt and add more to taste. I like lots of fresh cracked pepper, too. Simmer soup until flavors meld, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Taste again, and add more cream, if desired.
- Ladle soup into bowls and shave Parmigiano Reggiano over top. Serve with more pepper on the side and bread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
85 Comments on “Super Easy Pantry Tomato Soup”
Looks yummy! Do you have a favorite brand of canned tomatoes that you prefer?
I do! This is my favorite, though I don’t buy it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/San-Marzano-Whole-Peeled-Tomatoes/dp/B000SEJ8F6
When I buy crushed tomatoes, I love the Pomi brand.
Delicious recipe, and very wonderful blog. Grazie Alexandra! I used to buy the excellent Pomi crushed tomatoes when I was in the States, but here in Italy, that particular Pomi product is not available! So strange, as it is an Italian brand. I still have not found a good equivalent here. At least we have our splendid Parmigiano!! Ciao!
So strange! Can I come visit you?! No, really, I mean it? 🙂 🙂
Of course, please come visit! We are in Chianti, and would love to share this part of Toscana with you!! I make so many of you recipes, and sometimes have to adapt for here. PS I double-checked on the Pomi website and the crushed tomato product is apparently only made for import to the States 🙂 XO
Thank you!! You are too kind. This would be a dream!! xo
Too bad about Pomi — so funny.
I have it simmering on the stove right now! It was such a mild winter the thyme in the garden is still still green. Fifteen more minutes!
Yay!! And how nice—very jealous you have fresh thyme in your garden this time of year (actually any time of year :)). So happy you’re making this! I can’t get enough of it.
If I have freeze dried Thyme, how much to use? 1 teaspoon? Looking forward to make this tomorrow along with your Peasant bread loaf recipe so can make grilled cheese sandwich to go with the soup! (I know I should asked this on the bread recipe comments, but what stage would I add herbs to that bread? At the beginning with the flour or?)
Hi! Apologies for the delay here. I think 1 teaspoon sounds right. And for the bread, you can stir the herbs right in with the flour. Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂 Also, I have a thyme dinner roll recipe here: Easy, No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Just a general comment. Alexandracooks is one of my, if not THE, favorites. The photos are a phenomenal addition to the recipes. I look forward to the emails and have had great results with the recipes.
Fantastic work!!
Thank you!!! You are too kind. Means so much.
Love tomato soup and this recipe are super EASY!
The toasted crusty bread is so inviting!
🙂
Love the peasant bread recipe
So happy to hear this Mary Ann.
Dead simple and yummy! My kind of recipe.
Me, too 🙂
I wonder if it would be goof with prawns ??
Can anyone recommend good recipe apps? I’m exploring the subject and thinking which one s the best. Using currently Sidechef, Yummly and now found Handybooks – http://handybookapp.com/ – the ast one lets me take pics of all steps and them I have a reference for the next time or I can share with my daughter – she hates cooking 😀
Alexandracooks.com/
Thanks, Bob! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Loved it! I used Pomi crushed tomatoes which was a few ounces shy of the 28 oz. called for the recipe, so, in keeping with the pantry theme, I just added a can of chopped tomatoes and it worked out fine! Thank you for this great recipe. So fresh and delicious.
As always, you post such excellent recipes here 🙂 Very pleased with this tomato soup. I found it a bit tart though, so upped the cream to a little less than half a cup. Will be serving this with some bread and olive oil from the farmer’s market (they are back for the spring here in my neighborhood in NYC!). Thank you!
This is a great tomato soup recipe, thanks!
🙂
I was finally able to make this for the first time tonight along with a loaf of peasant bread (a favorite). Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes!! Both were wonderful!
Made this tonight and it was superb! My two year old even thanked me for making it! It will be my new go-to. Thank you for posting this simple gem.
Yay! So happy to hear this, Rebecca!
What an easy and incredible recipe! Definitely one I plan on keeping. I made this tonight for the second time. The first time I followed the recipe exactly. This time I doubled it and added a tablespoon of bacon grease which added a different, but still delicious flavor. I’m also in the process of making your food processor danishes, so I had some extra ricotta (also a recipe of yours) that I dolloped into the soup. Best decision I made today. All of your recipes are well thought out and always incredible. Thank you so much!
Terrific, as ever! Made this yesterday and tossed in some leftover roasted veggies that didn’t fit in my lasagna pan, served it with sweet potato cornbread and salad. Brilliant.
Thanks again!
Yum and yay!! I made this last night for dinner, too. My oldest daughter loves it and requested it … makes me so happy.
Sweet potato cornbread sounds amazing!!
It was! Am I allowed to plug someone else’s recipes here? Or have you got one up your ample sleeve?
I would absolutely LOVE the recipe! Please share. Thank you!!
OK, here you go:
https://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/10/sweet-potato-cornbread/
It was indeed a very “pantry” dinner: I had no sour cream, so just used plain, full-fat yogurt. Worked a treat.
I also didn’t boil the spuds; I’d tossed a couple into the oven earlier in the week, just to take advantage of the fact that there was room in the oven, then peeled and stored…
There are tons of other recipes out there, but this one appealed because it seemed to involve the least amount of fat (although I’ll admit that the ones using bacon drippings and spoons and spoons of butter sound fabulously wicked)
Enjoy!
Thanks so much for sharing! Love Budget Bytes and Beth—she’s awesome. Can’t wait to give it a go. We have so many sweet potatoes in our CSA.
I jusg had a brainwave — what if we paired this oh-so-easy soup with something nice and labor-intensive, like gougères? Just a thought…
I’m a child of Italian migrant parents and I’ve always avoided eating or cooking tomato soup because it feels odd to eat anything tomato soup based without some pasta, beans and vegetables added!!
Your beautiful photography and the hunk of bread and mountains of parmigiano convinced me to try this recipe!! Yum!! I will never turn my nose up at tomato soup again ????
I use San marzano and the Cirio brand pomodorini di Collina interchangeably and they both create equally tasty soup!
Thanks again for your recipes. Your leblebi soup is also a family favourite!
So happy to hear this, Diana!! I love the Cirio brand of tomato products, too—it has such a nice, clean flavor. And I’m so happy you love the leblebi, too. Both of these soups are staples for me all winter—I love that they materialize from pantry ingredients, but taste so fresh in the end. Thanks for writing!
This was a hit on a cold blustery day! In the past, I have found tomato soup to be a bit blah, but not this one. Thinking it has to do with the cooking down of the onion/garlic and I let it simmer close to an hour. Heaped in lots of freshly cracked black pepper. The shavings of parmigiano reggiano are delightful and I added sugar to counter acidity. Thank you once again for something delicious to eat!
I’m so happy to hear this, Hina! I’m thinking about making a pot tonight, too. I haven’t left the house in 2 days, so pantry cooking is the name of the game. So happy you liked this one 🙂
I LOVED this soup. Absolute staple soup for me now. Am eating leftovers the next day with a grilled cheese right now. So glad I doubled the recipe!
So happy to hear this, Kiara!!
First off Ali, let me say I appreciate the logical presentation of the recipe:
Ingredients, photo, …. next.
That said, your pantry tomato soup will now be staple. Well done.
So nice to hear all of this, Steve! Thank you for writing.
It tastes just like my grandmother used to make….my father’s favorite soup.
Wonderful to hear this, Ann!
Hi Ali,
I love tomato soup and this one looks good. Just a quick question about whether or not you’ve tried fire roasted canned tomatoes with this recipe? If yes, how did it go, if not, thoughts on whether you think the roasted option would dominate flavors? Thx!
Hi Betsy! I have not used fire-roasted tomatoes here, but I think they would be great. One thought is to make a double recipe and use 1 can of regular tomatoes, and 1 can of fire-roasted and see how you like the taste. (I suppose you could also buy smaller cans and make the single recipe.)
I say go for it! It won’t be inedible, and next time around you can adjust accordingly.
Delicious and easy…had everything in the pantry except sprig of thyme so dried had to suffice! Your recipes never disappoint! The soup and grilled cheese sandwiches were perfect on this cold day.
Wonderful to hear this, Joyce! And thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂
What a delicious tomato soup! I had this recipe lodged in my brain for quite a while, and finally got around to making it! I love that I can use quality canned tomatoes rather than fresh – making it so easy to make! Perfect tomato soup!
Great to hear this, Nancy! This is such a year-round staple for us for the reason you note. Thanks so much for writing!
Such a wonderful recipe for so little time and few ingredients. The soup comes together quickly as promised, and while it could yield 4 servings, my husband and I nearly polish it off every time. I add a parmesan rind while it ‘s cooking, which does give it a bit more depth of flavor. It’s wonderful right now here in New England as it’s getting cold, and a perfect soup for lunch or guests when you don’t want to fuss. I haven’t tried doubling it, but it would be nice to have another day or so’s worth on hand.
So nice to hear this, Mary 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love the idea of a parmesan rind. Thanks for writing!
I made this last night, it’s lovely. Thank you for yet another great recipe!
Great to hear Jeannie! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Just made this tonight along with the GF peasant bread. Super easy and delicious. I could tell my family loved it as well as everyone went back for seconds.
Great to hear this, Jaleh 🙂 🙂 🙂 And nice to connect here in addition to IG 💕
I’ll pile on here with another five stars. I used two cans of tomatoes and skipped the water but otherwise followed your recipe. This is a delicious, flavorful soup, especially with your peasant bread and an arugula salad. Thanks for all you do!
Great to hear, Robert! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Arugula salad on the side sounds perfect.
I can’t imagine a more delicious and satisfying tomato soup. I mean, why would I even try? Thanks Ali!
So nice to hear this, Bob! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Delicious! What’s a good substitute for the cream? Making for friends that are dairy free.
Hi Kathy! I’m not totally sure, but here are some thoughts: If you are open to making cashew cream, this recipe is fantastic. I also think coconut milk could work or the thick part of the coconut milk that rises to the top of the can. Coconut milk will change the flavor a little but I think it still might work. I worry about things like almond milk or oat milk… I just don’t think they’ll add enough richness.
Wow! What an amazingly easy exceptionally delicious recipe. I recently found out that my daughter loves tomato soup. When I saw this recipe on Ally’s website, I knew I had to try it. As I was making it, she walked by and said “I think you should make a double batch“ I stuck to the original recipe, and I made one large grilled cheese for us all to split. There was barely any left maybe enough for one small bowl tomorrow. My husband had 2.5 servings and said it reminded him of a café in Dallas where he went to school . He said he’s never had tomato soup that tasted this good except for at that restaurant. Next time I make it, I will definitely make a double batch! Yet another amazing recipe from AlexandraCooks!!
Awww Cristy, it’s so nice to read all of this 🙂 🙂 🙂 My kiddos love this one, too, as does my husband as do I 🙂 🙂 🙂 So glad your family approves!