Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe

Tomato soup.  Those two words immediately make me think of a chilly, winter day.  As a child, tomato soup was not something that I enjoyed eating.  Isn’t it funny how there are some foods we refused to eat as kids, but now as adults absolutely love?

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KID APPROVED

After trying numerous tomato soup recipes but not finding one that clicked with my taste buds, I decided to try creating my own.  Much to my surprise I ended up creating a smooth and creamy soup that almost everyone in my family loved!  Our eight year old is really hard to please in the dinner department and he even eats it without complaining.  My toddler downs this soup like it is apple juice, and my eleven year old even asks for leftovers in her lunch box.  When your kids approve, you know you have done something right!  This tomato soup is also easy enough to make on a weeknight, which is another HUGE plus in my book!

Typically we pair this with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.  My husband thinks there is nothing better than dipping a grilled cheese into a steamy bowl of creamy tomato soup.  Of course my kids complain if I skip the grilled cheese and just opt for salad, but we can’t always please them, can we?  Biscuits are another great side option if you want to omit the cheese but feel the need for some carbs to compliment the meal.

RECIPE CREATION

I’m learning that creating recipes is not an easy task.  I think I made this tomato soup at least 10 times while I was developing the recipe!  Once I perfected it I made it another few times just to make sure I got it right!  I do try to cook fairly healthy in the kitchen, so usually when I make this I do not add whole milk or heavy cream at the end of the recipe.  However, it does give it a creamier texture and flavor, so you may want to add it if you like heavier soups.  I have to admit, the cream does make it taste pretty darn good…Maybe a once or twice a year addition for me?

QUICK PREP

This tomato soup is quick to prep, which makes it a great pick for a weeknight meal.  The most time consuming task is chopping up the onions.  Although since you have to use an immersion blender at the end of the cooking time, the onions don’t have to be perfectly chopped.  Another shortcut I use on busy weeknights when making this tomato soup is pre-minced garlic.  While I prefer the taste of fresh garlic, I think the jarred garlic is fine when you are short on time.

INGREDIENTS

The whole wheat flour is added in to thicken up the soup a little bit.  I have found that after adding the flour, if I pour in a few splashes of broth, it helps keep the flour from clumping and burning.  Once I have stirred it for a minute or two, I slowly add the crushed tomatoes and the rest of the broth.

I usually buy the plain crushed tomatoes, but when I went to buy ingredients for this round of cooking, the grocery store only had crushed tomatoes with basil.  Every single brand of the plain was sold out!  I don’t notice a huge taste difference when using one or the other, so you can definitely use what you have on hand.  Canned whole peeled tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes will also work.  They just take longer to process with the immersion blender.

One other ingredient we like to add to our tomato soup from time to time is orzo.  I prefer the whole wheat orzo, but you can certainly use regular orzo pasta.  Add the orzo after you have pureed the soup, and cook for about 10 more minutes.

A note about my immersion blender.  I have this Cuisinart immersion blender that my mom bought for me from Amazon and I absolutely love it. Easily one of my favorite kitchen tools.  It definitely beats pureeing soups in my Vitamix!

This tomato soup is usually in our meal plan at least once a month.  If you need a little inspiration planning meals, be sure to check out my post on Meal Planning 101: Ultimate Tips for Busy Moms.  Meal planning is a great way to save time and money, and it feels great to not have to stress about what to make for dinner when you have hungry kids in the kitchen!

Enjoy!

Print

Easy Weeknight Tomato Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

A creamy and delicious tomato soup easy enough to make for dinner on a weeknight!

Course: Main Course

Servings: 6 people

Author: The Inspired Brunette

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 T minced garlic
• 2 T whole wheat flour
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• **1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk - optional
• **1 cup whole wheat orzo pasta - optional

Instructions

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Once hot add the diced onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion is soft and translucent.  

2. Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute, making sure not to let the garlic burn. 

3. Turn down heat to medium-low and stir in the whole wheat flour. Add a small splash or two of broth and stir for 1-2 minutes to keep flour from clumping. 

4. Next add the can of crushed tomatoes and broth. Add oregano, thyme, and salt. 

5. Increase heat and bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20-25 minutes.

6. Turn off the burner and use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. All of the onions and tomatoes should be pureed.  

7.  If using, add in heavy cream and stir. Season with black pepper. 

* *If using orzo pasta, add after you puree soup with the immersion blender, and cook for another 7-10 minutes depending on package instructions.