Tomato soup has long been synonymous with comfort food. In fact the fond memories many of us have of this creamy soup stem from our childhood; namely for a certain brand called Campbell's. Did you know that condensed soup was created 1897? See more here.
I was inspired by the texture and taste of that famous soup and that led me to create this creamy tomato soup recipe. This version includes minimal sugar, no starches to thicken the soup but rather wholesome cream and a handful of other ingredients. Best of all, this recipe does not involve chopping, blending or use of a knife, it can't get easier than that!
If a quick dinner of grilled cheese is on the menu and you have roughly 30 minutes to spare, go ahead and pair your sandwich with this easy and best tasting tomato soup.
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Gather your Ingredients for the Creamy Tomato Soup
- Passata-this is a tomato purée. It is a silky smooth tomato product that is free of seeds and tomato peel. I love the Mutti brand products.
- Chicken stock, vegetable stock or water.
- 35% cooking cream, plus extra for garnish (optional).
- Shallot
- Fresh basil
- Kosher salt
- White sugar
- Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional), for added flavour.
- Pine nuts for garnish (optional), the slight crunch of the pine nuts is a nice contrast to the smooth soup.
See the recipe below for specific quantities and details.
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Frying pan (to toast pine nuts if using)
Recipe Instructions
Add passata and chicken stock. To a heavy bottomed pot begin by pouring in the bottle of passata. To "clean" out the contents of the bottle add the chicken stock to the bottle, put the cap back on and give the bottle a good shake. Then pour this mixture into the pot.
Add remaining ingredients. Next add in the remaining ingredients, excluding the garnishes. Note that although the shallot is left whole and not chopped, it will still impart a nice flavour to the soup with adding any chunks. Cover the pot and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, remove the Parmigiano rind, shallot and basil leaves and discard.
While the soup simmers. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts to the dry pan moving them around stirring often until the pine nuts are golden brown. This should take approximately 10 minutes. Pine nuts can go from a beautiful golden brown to scorched very quickly once they start to roast, so stay close by!
Serve. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and drizzle with cream. Enjoy 🙂
Secrets for Success
- Use cream specifically labeled "cooking cream". This type of cream is specially formulated to withstand high cooking temperatures. The benefit of using a cooking cream means that the soup will have less chance of curdling. Acidic foods like tomatoes can cause cream to curdle or split.
- While other tomato products may work in this recipe, using passata is best suited for this soup because passata is designed for recipes that have a shorter cooking time. Also this smooth tomato product does not contain seeds or tomato peel therefore the soup will be very silky in texture.
- Remember to stir the soup several times during the cooking process to prevent sticking.
- When you purchase Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, don't throw out the rind. Put the rinds in the freezer for future use and add them to soups and stews for an additional flavour boost.
Substitutions & Variations
- Although using chicken stock will enhance the overall flavour of the soup, vegetable stock or water may also be used.
- 15% cooking cream will also work in this recipe, however the finished result will be less rich.
Frequently asked questions
No. Tomato sauce contains more than just tomatoes. Namely is includes such things as high fructose corn syrup and seasonings. Whereas passata is simply strained tomatoes and sea salt-no additives or flavourings.
Yes! This version of tomato soup includes minimal ingredients. Although sugar has been added to the recipe it is a very small amount compared to commercially prepared soups. This recipe is also a good source of vitamin C which is a beneficial antioxidant.
You can leave out the sugar if you like however the overall amount of sugar suggested is minimal. What the sugar does in this recipe is complement the flavour of the sweet tomatoes making the soup less acidic.
I don't recommend freezing this soup as the texture might change slightly becoming grainy.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The soup will keep for up to 3 days.
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Best Creamy Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If a quick dinner of grilled cheese is on the menu and you have roughly 30 minutes to spare, go ahead and pair your sandwich with this easy and best tasting tomato soup.
Ingredients
Soup:
1 bottle (24.5 ounces or 680 millilitres), passata
1 cup, unsalted chicken stock
½ cup, 35% cooking cream
1 shallot, peeled and left whole
1 sprig (5-6 leaves), fresh basil
1 teaspoon, kosher salt
1 tablespoon, white sugar
1 Parmeggiano-Reggiano rind, (1 inch by 2 inch piece)
Garnish:
¼ cup, toasted pine nuts
4 tablespoons, 35% cooking cream
Instructions
Soup:
- Add passata and chicken stock. To a heavy bottomed pot begin by pouring in the bottle of passata. To "clean" out the contents of the bottle add the chicken stock to the bottle, put the cap back on and give the bottle a good shake. Then pour this mixture into the pot.
- Add remaining ingredients. Next add in the remaining ingredients, excluding the garnishes. Note that although the shallot is left whole and not chopped, it will still impart a nice flavour to the soup with adding any chunks. Cover the pot and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, remove the Parmigiano rind, shallot and basil leaves and discard.
Garnish:
- While the soup simmers. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts to the dry pan moving them around stirring often until the pine nuts are golden brown. This should take approximately 10 minutes. Pine nuts can go from a beautiful golden brown to scorched very quickly once they start to roast, so stay close by!
Serve:
- Serve. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and drizzle with cream. Enjoy 🙂
Notes
- Use cream specifically labeled "cooking cream". This type of cream is specially formulated to withstand high cooking temperatures. The benefit of using a cooking cream means that the soup will have less chance of curdling. Acidic foods like tomatoes can cause cream to curdle or split.
- While other tomato products may work in this recipe, using passata is best suited for this dish because passata is designed for recipes that have a shorter cooking time. Also this smooth tomato product does not contain seeds or tomato peel therefore the soup will be very silky in texture.
- Remember to stir the soup several times during the cooking process to prevent sticking.
- When you purchase Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, don't throw out the rind. Put the rinds in the freezer for future use and add them to soups and stews for an additional flavour boost.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Canadian
Keywords: tomato soup, creamy soup, comfort food, best tomato soup recipe
Beth Donaldson says
This looks like a very good recipe, do you think I could use another type of nut for the garnish?
★★★★★
Donna Poirier says
Hi! I am thinking that pepitas (pumpkin seeds) might give the right amount of crunch or slivered almonds. Let me know which you decide to try 🙂