Just carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and bacon are all you need for homemade tomato soup. It’s deliciously rich in flavor and comes together in just under an hour.
Hey friends! This recipe was originally published in 2015 (!!!), but we could all use a little more homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese in our lives, so we’re sharing it here again. Enjoy!
Hallooooo, fall!
And hallo, soup weather. Right? RIGHT? Although, let’s be honest – I would not be sad if I ended up eating this for 12 out of 12 months of the year. This homemade tomato soup could love me all year long.
I based this recipe off of the cream of tomato soup recipe in The New Classics cookbook by Saveur (affiliate link) and yes I’ve essentially read this cookbook cover to cover. Reading a cookbook like this cover to cover essentially means cooking it cover to cover, which is possibly the best thing that ever did happen to me.
Can I blow your mind for a second? This homemade tomato soup starts with bacon. B-a-c-o-n. Tomato soup // bacon // it just works. These are the delicious ways in which Saveur inspires.
Here’s what else we’re working with:
- Some fresh veggies and aromatics like carrots, onion, and garlic.
- Yummy herbs like thyme and bay leaf.
- Lots of tomato goodness thanks to a delicious can of (HAND-CRUSHED) San Marzano.
- Cream. Because, of course.
Ohhhmygosh, the smells that will happen. I am having a hard time imagining anything more comforting than being in my kitchen experiencing the simmer-smells of this simple homemade tomato soup in progress.
Check out our video for how to make Homemade Tomato Soup:
What to Serve With This Tomato Soup
I am going to have to ask you —> please make some extremely cheesy Provolone toasts or grilled cheese or grilled sourdough bread or something, because what is tomato soup without the cheesy bread for dunking?
But with that being said, ultimately what is going to warm you to your toes and make you feel like a long nap on the couch is this simple homemade tomato soup. WITH BACON, remember. With bacon.
And if absolutely necessary to round things out a bit, here are a few green things to join the party as well:
- Brussels and Kale Caesar with Cheesy Croutons (those croutons are basically a salad topper and soup dipper in one)
- Toasted Bread and Parmesan Kale Salad (simple, zippy, cheesy, YUM)
- Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad (MORE BACON!)
Alright! Today is your day to make simple homemade tomato soup. I can just feeeeeeel it.
It’s smoky, a little bit sweet, and just as creamy or not-creamy as you want it to be. It’s simple – ready in just under an hour, with MOST of that time being the part where you just gaze lovingly at the pot of simmering tomatoes and let the smells of carrots and onions and garlic and bacon wrap you up in their loveliness.
Cheers to your relaxing, comforting, hug-in-a-bowl tomato soup day!
Common Questions About This Tomato Soup
The main goal here is to use higher quality tomatoes, and usually whole canned tomatoes are higher quality whereas pre-crushed tomatoes are made from bits and pieces of lower quality tomatoes. That being said, I’ve made this without hand-crushing the tomatoes (either using crushed canned tomatoes, or breaking apart the tomatoes in the pan with a spoon) and it’s still delicious.
Skip the bacon, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and skip the cream at the end (or throw a handful of cashews into the blender with the soup to make it creamy).
Yes! It should keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Yes! Follow the recipe as-is using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, and then instead of simmering for 30 minutes, cook it on manual high pressure for 15 minutes with a quick release at the end. Blend, add your cream and serve!
Simple Homemade Tomato Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Simple Homemade Tomato Soup with carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and bacon for deliciously rich flavor. Extremely easy to make!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
- 2 carrots, chopped
- half of a yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 4 cups chicken broth (more to thin out the soup at the end as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
- cream (optional – to add at the end as desired)
- kosher salt to taste (I like 1-2 teaspoons)
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a large soup pot over medium low heat until bacon starts to get crispy and browned, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the carrots, onion, and garlic to the bacon in the pan; sauté for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are very aromatic and tender.
- Add the tomato paste – stir for a few minutes until you can see/smell the tomato paste starting to brown and caramelize. Add the flour and stir for a minute or so.
- Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay leaf to the soup pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in batches and return to the pot. Add cream if you want. Season with salt. Look at that homemade tomato soup, you champ.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade tomato soup, tomato soup recipe, tomato soup with bacon, tomato soup, grilled cheese
Pinterest
This soup was DELICIOUS! We made it tonight and our kids loved it also!!!! We didn’t change anything the recipe is perfect! The cream at the end with some parm on top, was fall in a bowl! Also one of the easiest recipes!!!!
Besides being delicious, tomato soup can also be an alternative food during a pandemic like now. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
This was delicious! I didn’t add the salt at the end as the stock and the bacon make it quite salty already. I had this with a grilled cheese on the side – perfect 🙂
★★★★★
Do you have any thoughts on what kind of bacon would taste best? Hickory? Applewood? Or just the kind with packaging that says “bacon”? 🙂 thanks!
Any bacon is great!
What kind of cheese did you top with in the pictures? Looks delish!
Gruyere I believe!
Could I use fresh tomatoes from my garden?
It might be a little less saucy (the canned tomatoes are a little thicker and saucier!) but definitely worth a shot.
I think it would taste fine without the blender process
★★★★
There are great articles sharing easy and understandable recipes. I offer my endless gratitude to you for this opportunity.
★★★★★
Why do people leave reviews but haven’t actually made the soup??!?? Don’t rate a soup you haven’t tried lol.
I saw this recipe in your email about what we’re all cooking. We used this as part of a mashup meal of leftovers (Easter ham starring as a grilled ham & cheese sandwich) and something new. This soup is so freaking good! The carrots and bacon and San Marzano tomatoes….mmm! It was super easy (and fast). I appreciate the pictures in the recipe so I had a bit of a guide.
For anyone looking for a quick and TASTY soup, this one is for you! Thanks for this recipe and all the others I’ve enjoyed. You’re definitely making this coronavirus lock-down easier to survive!
Glad to hear you enjoyed this, Ann!
This was easy to make, had my husband make it as he is just learning to cook… at 62 geesh. It was so good
★★★★★
So glad you two enjoyed this, Val!
This soup was a big hit for the whole family. Even for my 7 year old who claims to hate tomatoes. I told her it was vegetable soup. She said it was delicious. Thanx for a great recipe.
★★★★★
So glad to hear this was a hit, Stacey!
Can I use turkey bacon?
Sure, we don’t see why not!
I added 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to sweeten things up a bit
★★★★★
Yummy!
Easy and delish. Made it vegetarian – no bacon and veg broth! Added a bit of cream, basil and a sprinkle of Asiago! Yum!
★★★★★
Sounds delicious, Ellen!
The. Best. Tomato. Soup! I’m not a huge tomato soup fan, but my family wanted grilled cheese sandwich’s and we had the ingredients to pull of this recipe. It was so delicious. I did add more tomato paste, maybe an extra tablespoon and I also used homemade chicken stock, which added to the richness of the soup. This will definitely be made again in our house. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed this, Ky!
This recipe was my first attempt at tomato soup and I’m so pleased with how it turned out! I added extra carrots and a few potatoes for thickness. I also pureed the tomatoes before adding them to the soup while the bacon and carrots cooked so I only had to do a quick puree after. Also added a dash of balsamic vinegar when I added the paste. This was a hit for our friends Christmas gathering with panini grilled cheese sandwiches! Plus it made plenty of leftovers to freeze in individual batches. Highly recommend this recipe!
★★★★★
Glad to hear you enjoyed this, Shivani!
Why do people leave reviews for dishes they have not tried. Come on people your ideas and musing of the day are really not all that interesting (no offense). If you have not made it, don’t leave a review!
Great recipe just a note for those of us who keep thick cut bacon on hand – you’ll want to be careful about how much you use! I cut down to 2 slices and I got rid of about half of the oil the second time I made this and it was perfect. The first time I made it I had to throw away leftovers because it was WAY too bacon-y. I also added a pinch of celery seed and a tsp of dried basil to get a more classic tomato soup flavor.
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing, Teresa! 🙂
Very tasty . . . the only thing I added was salt and pepper. (and cream)
★★★★★
So glad to hear you enjoyed the soup, John!
I made a vegetarian version of this last night and it was fantastic! I used 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke mixed with olive oil when I sauteed the veggies. I left mine a little chunky and added a bit of light cream at the end to add some richness. The result was a filling and rustic soup. Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Your vegetarian version sounds delicious, Angie!
Why don’t use just use crushed Italian seasoned tomatoes? I am all about making it simple. I love the fact that this recipe has so few ingredients. I also find that I can make the chicken broth from water and tomes brand chicken base much more savory. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed this soup, Ron!
Made it for dinner tonight. I had reservations about the bacon but I wanted a no cream tomato soup. It was so good, my son really loved it. Thank you for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
★★★★★
So glad you and your soon enjoyed the soup!
Sorry but I don’t see this as a ‘simple’ recipe.
I made this today (without cream) for lunch with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. It turned out great. Flavors blended nicely and it was the perfect consistency using the exact 4 cups of chicken broth. I used low sodium chicken broth, but then added kosher salt to taste (it took a fair amount.) The house smelled great and my guests, who are both chefs, both said it was tasty. I’m betting it is even better if you make it a day ahead and then reheat it.
★★★★★
Tomato soup house smells = the best! Glad you enjoyed this, George! 🙂