Soups · American
Creamy Tomato Soup
Better than the can... and yes, it foams for a second. Don't panic. I did.
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hands-off
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Makes
- 8 cups (about 1.9 l)
Total = 25 min active (chopping, softening the onion, blending, finishing) + 35 min simmering.
- medium
- comfort-food
- pantry
- freezer-friendly
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? A bigger batch needs a bigger pan, because the soup foams up when the baking soda goes in. Blend in more batches, never more than two-thirds full. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: large saucepan with a lid (leave room for foaming) · small bowl · whisk · stick (immersion) blender, or a countertop blender with a vented lid · ladle · large heatproof bowl (if using a countertop blender) · oven gloves
Contains: milk · wheat
Method
Soften the onion
Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring now and then, until it is soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
Ready when: The onion is soft and golden.
Add the tomatoes
Tip in the tomatoes, basil, thyme and a little black pepper. Bring it to a gentle bubble and let it cook for 10 minutes.
Ready when: Gently bubbling; the tomatoes have had a full 10 minutes.
Thicken it smoothly
In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the stock until there are no lumps. Pour it into the soup slowly, stirring the whole time.
Simmer low and slow
Put the lid on and let the soup simmer gently for 25 minutes, giving it a stir every so often.
Ready when: Simmering gently under the lid, not boiling hard; nothing catching on the bottom.
Blend safely
Take the pan off the heat first. The easiest option is a stick blender: keep the blade guard fully under the surface and let go of the button before you lift it out, so the soup doesn't splash. With a countertop blender, blend in batches with the jug no more than two-thirds full and never above its MAX line. Lock the lid and its vented cap in place, start on the lowest speed, and keep your hands away from the lid opening.
Ready when: Smooth, with no big pieces of tomato or onion left.
Make it creamy
Return the soup to the pan over low-to-medium heat. Stir in the baking soda (it will foam for a moment), then the sugar, evaporated milk and salt. Keep stirring and heat it just until a few bubbles appear. Don't let it boil, then serve hot.
Ready when: Steaming hot with just a few bubbles at the edge (a bare simmer), not boiling.
Otto tried this firstOtto picks a pan that is too small, so when the baking soda foams it nearly climbs over the top. The foam settles on its own, which is why the pan needs room.
Swaps
- Instead of canned diced tomatoes in purée: the same 794 g (28 oz) can of smooth tomato purée Skip the blending; the onion pieces give the soup a little body.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Cook it fully, cool it, and refrigerate: eat it within 2 days (48 hours), or freeze it as soon as it has cooled if you won't finish it by then.
- Storage
- Cool the soup and put it in the fridge within 1 to 2 hours, then eat it within 2 days (48 hours). If you won't manage that, freeze it as soon as possible; freezing affects quality, not safety. Thaw it in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stirring as it heats. Reheat it only once.
If something goes wrong
- It foamed up when the baking soda went in
That's normal and settles on its own in a moment; just make sure the pan is big enough. - It still tastes sharp
Stir in more sugar, a tablespoon at a time, up to 3 tbsp (43 g) in total.
Good to know
- The baking soda and sugar tame the tomatoes' sharpness, so start with 1 tablespoon of sugar and add more only if it still tastes sharp.
- Every blender is different. If your blender's manual says something different about hot liquids, follow the manual.
- If you use smooth tomato purée instead of diced tomatoes, you can skip blending altogether.
Safety
- Hot soup in a sealed blender can push out steam and spray scalding liquid. Use the lid with its vented cap locked, fill no more than two-thirds, and start on the lowest speed.
- Never use a stick blender in a pan that is still on the burner. Take the pan off the heat first.
- Blender blades are sharp. Switch off and unplug the blender before you reach in or clean it. Blending hot soup is a job for an adult, not for kids.
- Stock cubes and ready-made stock can contain celery and other allergens, so check the label.