This tomato basil soup takes the traditional canned tomato soup to a whole new level! Super creamy, thick and full of flavor. Tastes amazing served with a crispy grilled cheese and fresh chopped basil.
Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup
Tomato basil soup paired with a crispy grilled cheese is my go-to comfort meal on a gloomy day. I love to cut my grilled cheese into squares and serve it on top with some fresh chopped basil. SO delicious!
This tomato soup is super creamy and full of flavor. The fresh sautéed basil and oregano add a wonderful fragrant taste, while the roux, parmesan and half and half give it the perfect thick consistency. You can even sneak in extra veggies, similar to how I did in my tomato basil cauliflower soup.
We also love to serve this homemade tomato soup in a bread bowl or topped with some crispy homemade croutons or cornbread croutons. And don’t forget the shredded cheese! Because everything is better with cheese, right?? ;)
Tips for the Best Tomato Basil Soup
You can’t go wrong with this classic tomato soup! Add in fresh vegetables, roasted tomatoes, and make it smooth or chunky. Just how you like it!
- Fresh veggies. Although canned tomatoes work great in this recipe, consider using fresh tomatoes and basil (especially when they are in season in the summer). If you get them fresh from your own garden, even better!
- Roasted tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes is an easy way to add another layer of depth and flavor into this dish. And if you’re roasting tomatoes, you could also roast the onion and some fresh garlic cloves on the same pan.
- Blending the soup. For a super smooth consistency, you can blend the soup together in a blender or use an immersion blender in the pot.
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
To store: Any leftover tomato soup will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.
To freeze: This dish also makes a great freezer meal and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I do, however, recommend omitting the half and half and Parmesan cheese when freezing. Dairy tends to separate when frozen, so it’s the safer bet to leave it out. Then when reheating the soup, simply mix both the half and half and Parmesan back in.
To reheat: To reheat from frozen, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight. Then heat in a pan on the stove (or in the microwave) until warm.
Ways to Serve
If you’re wondering what goes well with tomato soup, you can add toppings like shredded cheese or croutons, or serve alongside a grilled cheese or baked potato. Add another family favorite soup like broccoli cheese soup for a get together. These are all So flavorful and delicious options!
- Grilled cheese
- Homemade croutons
- Cornbread croutons
- In a bread bowl
- Breadsticks
- Garlic bread
- Baked potato
- Side chopped salad
More Soup Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
- Easy Lasagna Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
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Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup yellow onion , chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil , chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano , chopped (or 1 teaspoon ground dried oregano)
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes with juice , you can use fresh or 2 cans
- 4 cups chicken stock , or vegetable stock
- 10 ounce can condensed tomato soup
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 ¾ cups half and half
- 1 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine the oil and chopped onion and cook over medium-heat for 3-5 minutes, or until onion is tender. Stir in the basil and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), chicken stock and tomato soup. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the butter over low heat. Slowly mix in the flour to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until roux turns golden. Slowly whisk in the hot water until the roux is smooth and has thickened. Add the roux to the soup and stir well, then slowly stir in the half and half.
- Once the mixture is well combined, stir in the parmesan, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. If desired, add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Soups, Stovetop, Stovetop, Vegetarian, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
BEST. SOUP. EVER.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for your review :)
such a great way to elevate the canned soup variety! I love this!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Abbi :)
I don’t need cooler temps to enjoy this soup! It’s my favorite!! Yours is so creamy & tastes amazing!
Absolute comfort food! Nothing better than this!
My husband loved this recipe.
Thank you and God bless!
SO glad you enjoyed it :D
I am not sure if a total of 29 ounces of diced tomatoes are needed or 2 cans of 29 oz each?
Hi Robin! It’s 1 large can or 2 small cans. :)
This needs to be added to our weeknight dinner rotation!
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! This looks amazing; worthy of a restaurant, indeed!
This is beyond delicious! So creamy and packed with flavors, need to make this!
Light, healthy and incredibly delicious!! This is my kind of soup!! Aaaand I LOVE basil!!
Your soup looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it. I love homemade tomato soups.
This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner this week!