This easy tomato soup recipe makes one of the best bowls of soup I’ve made. It’s shockingly simple and calls for only three main ingredients (butter, onion, and tomatoes). Don’t let the short ingredient list fool you, this soup is absolutely delicious!
Marcella Hazan’s famous tomato sauce inspires this easy tomato soup recipe. You might not think three ingredients can combine to make such a velvety and delicious soup, but they can. Our readers have called this “the easiest soup I’ve ever made,” “amazing,” “so easy, and just so delicious.”
This tomato soup is truly one of my favorite soup recipes on Inspired Taste. Canned tomatoes are excellent for this (although I have shared tips for using fresh below). If you love roasted tomatoes, see our roasted tomato soup recipe. Or for a summery chilled soup, I love our tomato gazpacho.
Key Ingredients
- Tomatoes: I love canned tomatoes for this soup. They’re always in season, so I can enjoy this recipe year-round. San Marzano or Muir Glen are my go-to. If you have fresh tomatoes, you’ll need about 10 to 12 medium (or 2 pounds). There is no need to peel them. Everything is blended in the end, anyway!
- Onion: I cut half a large onion into large wedges and then allow them to simmer with the tomatoes until it’s sweet and soft. The onion adds a lovely flavor and makes the soup creamy.
- Butter: I don’t add cream or milk to my tomato soup but use butter. The butter simmers with the tomatoes and onion, which flavors the soup and makes it taste rich and creamy.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Soup
To make this extra easy tomato soup, add butter, onion, a large can of tomatoes, and water to a large pot. (I usually use water in this soup, but stock or broth work, too). Remember, you can use fresh tomatoes – tips for using them are in the recipe below.
Bring everything to a low simmer and cook for 40 minutes. The photo and video show that our tomato soup becomes super creamy. That’s thanks to the butter. The onions also soften, which adds to the creaminess of our soup when blended.
Blend the soup until smooth. I typically use an immersion blender, but a regular blender works perfectly fine. Adjust the soup with salt and pepper, then grab a bowl and enjoy!
Our family loves serving tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. This tomato soup is also excellent, topped with homemade croutons or served next to a slice of homemade focaccia or buttery garlic bread. I also love serving soup next to fresh salads like this easy chopped salad or homemade Caesar salad.
Easy Three Ingredient Tomato Soup
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This is the easiest and tastiest tomato soup I’ve made. I love serving with grilled cheese sandwiches, but this is also wonderful with crusty bread or homemade garlic bread on the side.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, cut into large wedges
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, we prefer whole peeled tomatoes or crushed
1 ½ cups water, low sodium vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
Directions
1Melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan.
2Add onion wedges, water, tomatoes with their juices, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
3Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional salt as needed.
4Blend the soup, and then season to taste. The soup doesn’t need to be ultra-smooth; some texture is nice. An immersion blender does make quick work of this, or you can use a blender. When using a regular blender, work in smaller batches, and don’t fill it too high – hot soup expands! For safety, remove the lid’s center insert and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending. This releases steam and prevents messy splatters.
5Store homemade tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Fresh tomatoes: Use 10 to 12 medium tomatoes (2 pounds). No need to peel them, everything is blended in the end.
- Vegan tomato soup: Substitute the butter for plant-based butter or extra-virgin olive oil.
- For tomato basil soup: Add a handful of fresh basil before blending the soup.
- Make creamy tomato soup: After blending, add a splash of cream for an extra creamy tomato soup.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have omitted salt since you will need to add to your tastes.
This is so easy and SO yummy. I doubled the recipe, but didn’t double the water (accidentally), but the consistancy was perfect. I added garlic to the pot and a drizzle of cream in each bowl with some freshly grated parmesean. We had sourdough bread and a ceasar salad with it. It was delicious.
Yum! We love having this soup with our Caesar salad. Sourdough is also one of our favorites! 🙂
I was a bit skeptical of the recipe coz it’s just simply too good to be true, regardless I wanna give it a try coz I have some tomatoes that have been hanging around in the fridge for soooooo long, and they are just riping….plus some super old onions too LOL. I have only added a few bay leaves, and follow the recipe – the taste is amazing, and I cannot believe how easy it can be to create this yuuuuum soup! Try it please!!
This is quick and easy to make. I also add fresh garlic cloves and a little tomato paste.
This was a complete winner. I make my own soup each fall and bottle it for winter. I have a great recipe for Tomato Basil soup that we love. But occasionally we run out during extra long winters. I have search for several years for a good recipe that I could cook up easily when we need some more. I made this recipe today and all 6 of my family members absolutely loved it!!! I tripled the recipe cuz I was hoping it was going to be good, and it did not disappoint. Thank you for a new and extremely easy go to recipe. I will use it often. {Making another batch today because my triple batch disappeared in one sitting} LOL
Picky-eater approved! Added a few garlic cloves and used low sodium chicken broth and our special sushi sea salt. Dash of cream. Perfection! Thanks so much! I didn’t grow up cooking and have a picky eater family so finding recipes that are fast, simple and delicious are a must. Thanks for making this so simple for a toddler mom. Will be making this again and again. How does it freeze?
Hi Cynthia, This freezes well (freeze for up to three months and then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating).
So simple yet delicious… Thank you!!… I just toss on a bit of parm…Im obsessed with this soup now. Does not raise the blood sugar of my diabetic husband like canned tomato soup… Which I will never buy again…
Cant believe how easy this was to make and how incredibly delicious it was! Thank you – will definitely be making this again!
Amazing, flavorful, simple. Followed recipe exactly, but I did add some garlic powder. Definitely a keeper!
I’ve made this recipe many times now. Not only is it delicious but it’s so easy and uses just a few ingredients. I highly recommend it 😋
I made for Lent. Thank you.
Great recipe. Very simple and tasty!!!!!!!!!!
Love this recipe, easy and quick. It’s lunch for two days.
Better than I’ve ever had in a restaurant–the easiest soup I’ve ever made–and one of the best. I always keep a few cans of tomatoes in the pantry so I can make this whenever I’m in the mood for it.