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Bowl of creamy tomato soup with a cream swirl and torn basil on a rustic wooden table

How to Make Tomato Soup Perfectly Every Time

A silky, balanced tomato soup made in one pot from canned whole tomatoes, finished with basil and tempered cream so it never curdles.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 About 1 3/4 cups
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Base
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion about 10 ounces, diced
  • 2 medium carrots about 5 ounces, peeled and finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Soup
  • 2 cans 28 ounces each whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, San Marzano style
  • 3 cups vegetable broth low sodium works well
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
To Finish
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Equipment

  • 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
  • Immersion blender
  • Countertop blender
  • Ladle and small bowl

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and a carrot piece mashes easily.
  2. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes over medium heat, until the paste darkens to deep brick red and smells sweet.
  3. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the broth, and the sugar. Crush the tomatoes against the pot until no whole tomatoes remain and the liquid looks evenly red.
  4. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then lower to medium low. Simmer uncovered 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until slightly thickened with small orange rings of oil on top.
  5. Turn off the heat and rest 5 minutes, until the surface stops bubbling completely.
  6. Add the basil and blend 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth and a shade lighter with no flecks of carrot or skin.
  7. Whisk 1 cup of the hot soup into the room temperature cream, then pour it back into the pot while stirring. Warm over low heat 3 to 5 minutes without boiling, until steam rises evenly and the color turns creamy coral.
  8. Add salt 1/4 teaspoon at a time, waiting 30 seconds between additions, until the soup smells sweet and tastes bright rather than salty.

Notes

Let the cream sit out 30 minutes before you start, and never let the soup boil after the cream goes in.
For a dairy-free version, use olive oil instead of butter and full-fat canned coconut milk instead of cream.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze without the cream for 2 to 3 months.