Simple Homemade Tomato Soup with carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and bacon for deliciously rich flavor. It’s super easy to make and is bound to be your next cold weather favorite!
Simple Homemade Tomato Soup
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Best Tomato Soup ever! I’ve made it three times! Flavorful, full-bodied without cream! Thank you for posting!
Beth S
Hallooooo, fall!
And hallo, tomato soup. Yes, it’s soup season, 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 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.
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Why You’Ll Love This Simple Homemade Tomato Soup
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.
Ingredients You’ll Need
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.
Let’s Make Something Delicious
Start this soup by crisping up some bacon in a large pot or, even better, a Dutch oven.
Once things are looking crispy, toss in your cut-up veggies. Give things a little stir to coat everything in the bacon grease.
Plop in some tomato paste with a little bit of flour and watch things start to carmelize. Okay, gosh. This soup, folks! We’re not even done and it’s so good!
Pour your can of San Marzano tomatoes in along with some dried spices and broth and just let the soup simmer. The high maintenance, if you can even call it that, part of the soup is done.
To finish, give your soup a quick blitz in the blender to puree it (or use an immersion blender, if you have one), splash in some cream and a lil’ salt and pepp treatment and boom. That’s all! An incredibly easy and delicious soup in an hour.
How To Make The Best Homemade Tomato Soup Every Time
- Add flavorful herbs and spices. Basil is often found in tomato soup, which, yes, is DELICIOUS. However, other spices and herbs can be added to some flavor. Rosemary and thyme, chives and parsley, even a zippy cheese such as feta can level up your tomato soup.
- Don’t forget the cream. Add in coconut milk, heavy cream, or butter to give your tomato soup a silky texture. We’re talking richness that tastes decadent without being overindulgent.
- Add a drizzle, fresh zest, or dollop right before serving. This is going to take it riiiiiiight over the top. Some life-changing ideas: a spoonful of pesto, sour cream, fresh herbs, or lots of shredded cheese.
Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
What To Serve With This Tomato Soup
I am going to have to ask you —> please make some extremely cheesy Parmesan garlic bread (recipe coming soon!) 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!
Homemade Tomato Soup: FAQs
Why crush the tomatoes by hand?
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.
How can I make this vegan?
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).
Can this soup be frozen?
Yes! It should keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Can this be made in the Instant Pot?
Yes! See recipe notes for instructions.
Can I omit the bacon?
It totally works to make this meat-free, but you’ll lose a bit of the flavor the bacon adds. Just add in some oil to sauté the veggies in the second step.
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Simple Homemade Tomato Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Simple Homemade Tomato Soup with carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and bacon for deliciously rich flavor. It’s super easy to make and is bound to be your next cold weather favorite!
Ingredients
Units
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- 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.
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Notes
Instant Pot Instructions: 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 last the end. Blend, add your cream, and serve!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade tomato soup, tomato soup recipe, tomato soup with bacon, tomato soup, grilled cheese
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- White Chicken Chili (bacon, cheese, chicken, beans – gang’s all here!)
October 8, 2021
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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This is hands down the best tomato soup I have ever had/made. Never would have thought about the bacon!! I don’t have a blender (crazy I know) and I mashed my tomatoes with an old-school handheld potato masher and it all turned out delicious! Definitely had to opt for heavy whipping cream. We also made grilled cheese on sourdough with sharp cheddar and provolone. Everyone loved it, including my 1-year-old and stepson (13).
this tomato soup was so delicious I could not believe it! It was so easy and I wanted to eat the whole pot of it myself. I’ll be making this again! YUM
Susan, me too. Me too!! Haha. So good and so easy!
Oh this looks so delicious. I wish I could just download it and slurp it. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Winters are arriving here and I am going to try this recipe for sure.
Enjoy!
Haven’t been able to eat bacon (or any meat) since I watched a documentary that shows the disgusting horror that pigs go through to get on your plate. Since a pig is as smart and thoughtful as my dog – who I would never want to be tortured and murdered – it would be unconscionable to eat them.
But, coconut bacon works here. It gives off a nice smoky taste and adds some greasy texture to the soup. I recommend trying it for anyone who doesn’t eat pig.
I do not eat bacon, could you please suggest a substitute to make it vegetarian?
You could try adding in a 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika or a drop of liquid smoke!
Going to make this later today. Do you think I could add a few drops of liquid smoke instead of bacon? I don’t eat pork.
Absolutely, Sara!
I cannot wait to make this soup this weekend. Can you please clarify is it (1) 28oz can of the tomatoes or is it
128 ounces of tomatoes?
Thanks for your help!
1 can that is 28 ounces!
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream?
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream?
Yes, coconut milk will work!
Dear Pinch of Yum,
How can I thank you for the perfect tomato soup recipe? I do not enjoy canned tomatoes that are so sweet that you think of using them as a syrup for pancakes or waffles.
I can now control the salt, sugar, and other spices/herbs to suit my palette.
Your’s truly,
Vicki H.
A drizzle of cream, a dollop of pesto, and a frico grilled cheese sandwich send this already delicious soup over the top. I never liked tomato soup until I had this one. It’s rich and flavorful and complex with mostly pantry ingredients. 10/10 you won’t regret making this!
Thanks so much for the review, Hannah! So glad you enjoyed the soup!
Your recipes are inspiring! Im so happy i stumbled upon your site because I’ve nearly bookmarked every recipe! Thank You for sharing and keep up the good work.
Very good tomato soup, takes only 15 minutes to prepare, and is a great pantry dinner. Kids loved it.
I love this soup! It’s a keeper for sure. Thank you!
This was delicious and really simple to prepare! I removed the crispy pieces of bacon before adding the vegetables and then topped the soup with the bacon before serving. So good!
This recipe is amazing, the soup is delicious, thank you! 😊
Glad to hear it, Dasa!
My husband had this ready for me when I got home from work a bit ago and it just happed it be raining. I WAS IN LOVE! He made grilled cheese on sour dough to go with it! Since it’s cold here in Cali right now, I will be making it for the family tonight!
Grilled cheese on sourdough sounds so amazing! Thanks for the comment, Dorian!
My husband can’t eat anything with seeds so could I use tomatoe sauce or puree instead?
Yes we think that will work just fine!
I am a new-ish cook, and I LOVE your website. Made this today for lunch, as is, and my hubby declared it the best soup he’s ever tasted. This is high praise as he comes from a long line of soup makers, himself included. I served it with sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches. Thank you Pinch of Yum team, you have turned me into an accomplished cook who looks forward to every recipe I try on your site!
We love hearing this, MariAnn!
What’s even better is we didn’t have enough left over for 2 bowls of soup at the end, so I threw in left over anytime chicken meatballs cut in half, and left over egg noodles! Ta-Da! Another delicious lunch! 🙂
Oh, yum! Thanks for this recipe …. 🙂
Pretty rustic tasting, if thats a thing. The perfect thickness for dipping a grilled cheese in on a cold day for lunch!
Glad you enjoyed it, Dustin!
Oops, forgot to give it a rating!
Can I omit the carrots? I want to make this for Valentine’s Day.
You can!
This soup is incredible. Even better the next day.
Definitely shell out for the certified San Marzano tomatoes. I always get Cento, probably $4 a can but worth it.
We didn’t do the bacon because were in the midst of plant based January along with our incomparable hosts here at Pinch Of Yum. Anyway, didn’t miss the bacon at all, if you’re thinking of cutting it.
We also did fresh thyme instead of dried and it worked great. Minced up plenty (probably 1.5 tbs after mincing) and added most at the beginning of cooking and the rest closer to the end. So that works if you prefer fresh or don’t have dried or whatever.
I do disagree with the recipe’s instructions to add the garlic and sauté it with the onion and carrot. It’s really easy to overcook/burn garlic. I recommend adding the garlic for 30 seconds before you add the tomatoes.
Made it last night! Have you ever tried freezing it? I ended up doubling it and didn’t add cream so thought that it would be okay due to that?
The soup should freeze just fine! Good call on leaving the cream out!
Also what do you use to puree the soup?
We use an immersion blender, but you could also use a blender.