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Rich and velvety, this Creamy Tomato Soup uses canned tomatoes and other pantry staples like olive oil and dried Italian herbs combined with onion and garlic for deep flavor. It comes together in 20 minutes, and is comfort food at its finest!
Toward the end of summer I was tomato-obsessed, going to the farmers’ market to buy tomatoes by the half-bushel almost every other week. Since, as I’m sure you can well imagine, it’s not possible for two people to go through all those tomatoes (despite my summer salad obsession), I had a few adventures in canning.
I know, I’m a terrible food blogger for not sharing my canning experiences on the blog, lol. But sometimes I just want to make a dish, eat a meal, or play around in the kitchen without having my camera at the ready, waiting for perfect lighting and thinking about the right angle, composition, etc.
Getting in the kitchen and cooking without a care in the world is relaxing and therapeutic, and I find this to be especially true of things like canning. Preserving fresh produce at the peak of its season ties us simultaneously to local foods, farmers, and simpler times.
As I was canning perfectly ripe summer tomatoes, I was thinking about colder days that lay ahead. I saw summer’s beauty in them and I knew they’d be delicious long after summer had faded away.
In This Article
Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe Made with Canned Tomatoes
This is my wintertime Creamy Tomato Soup, which differs significantly from my bright-flavored, sweet/tart summer Fresh Tomato Soup. This winter version is made with canned tomatoes, and is a more subtle variation of tomato’s beautiful flavor.
This soup is creamy (without a drop of cream), rich (but not heavy), and incredibly comforting. Use the best canned tomatoes you can find for great flavor and a beautiful blushing color.
Cream of Tomato Soup brings the warmth and comfort of summer to a cold day. And it really is a lovely reminder of warmer days!
What to Add to Tomato Soup
I like to serve this soup with a drizzle of homemade pesto on top. (I make it in the summer and freeze it in ice cube trays for use all year long.)
Cream of Tomato Soup is also wonderful with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts, and a few leaves of fresh basil.
Or you can add a drizzling of heavy cream and a generous pinch of freshly-cracked black pepper.
And if you have the time, you can top this Creamy Tomato Soup with homemade garlic croutons for flavor and crunch!
Soup for a Cause - World AIDS Day
In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, this post is dedicated to remembering those who have died, and comforting all who have lost someone dear to them.
I don’t think I’ve ever shared this on my blog, but during the year between college and law school, I worked as a case manager for people with HIV and AIDS. I had the opportunity to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life. They made me laugh and cry on a daily basis. I learned their stories, met their families, saw how their diagnosis intertwined throughout their lives. Sometimes just barely scratching the surface of a life, and sometimes completely taking over a life, like a strong-rooted, unyielding weed choking out a beautiful flower garden.
Their lives touched my heart in so many ways. I lost three clients in the span of eight months.
One of my clients in particular truly impacted me. She was diagnosed with HIV after her husband had been unfaithful to her. She was an amazing woman, a devoted mother, a hard worker, smart, strong, and beautiful, both inside and out. When I think of her, it is nearly impossible not to feel a rush of both happy and sad emotions all over again. She will never stop inspiring me.
I want to thank Angela from Spinach Tiger for inviting me to participate in this event.
What to Serve with This Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe
- Best Paleo Bread Recipe
- No Knead Bread
- Olive Garden Salad Recipe
- Mediterranean Bean Salad Recipe
- Spinach Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Copycat (Low Carb)
Creamy Tomato Soup
By: Faith Gorsky
Rich and velvety, this Creamy Tomato Soup uses canned tomatoes and other pantry staples like olive oil and dried Italian herbs combined with onion and garlic for deep flavor. It comes together in 20 minutes, and is comfort food at its finest!
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Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 7 servings
Calories 185 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk warmed slightly
- 1 quart canned crushed tomatoes with juices (4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Chicken Better Than Bouillon or Vegetable Better Than Bouillon
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pesto for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Melt the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Better Than Bouillon, Italian herb seasoning, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn the heat off.
Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using an immersion blender (or puree it in batches in a regular blender). Taste and season with additional salt as desired.
To serve, transfer to serving bowls and drizzle pesto on top, if using.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 7 cups total; each serving is 1 cup.
- Gluten Free Version (Thickened with Cornstarch): Omit the all-purpose flour. Mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry. Add the slurry in step 2, along with the crushed tomatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Tomato Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 185Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 465mg20%
Potassium 645mg18%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 674IU13%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Calcium 181mg18%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Cream of Tomato Soup, Creamy Tomato Soup
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 24, 2012. It was updated with new photos and more information on February 22, 2021.
