Easy Tomato Basil Soup
An easy tomato basil soup recipe that takes just ten minutes to make and calls for six simple ingredients. If you love homemade tomato soup, you are going to love this quick recipe.
Table of contents
This is my quick tomato basil soup that is almost as easy as warming up a can of soup but so, so, so much better because you know exactly what’s in it. A few simple ingredients and ten minutes are all you need to make it. I love it all on its own or with a grilled cheese sandwich or chicken salad sandwich for lunch or a light dinner.
Recipe Notes
This is an uncomplicated soup recipe for those times when you’re craving some comfort food without a hassle. The recipe as makes enough for one, but you can easily double or triple it to serve more people.
It’s so simple it takes only about ten minutes start to finish, but you can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for an easy lunch or dinner.
As I mentioned, it’s great on it’s own or pair it with a sandwich or salad to make a bigger meal. Or just add some crusty bread on the side for dunking.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Chopped garlic
- Chopped yellow onion
- Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes (see note)
- Chicken broth or stock
- Chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper
Now’s not the time for random-brand canned tomatoes. For this soup, I prefer Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes. The tomatoes are sweet and not too acidic. You could also use crushed tomatoes – I recommend San Marzano.
To make things very simple, feel free to use the same amount of frozen chopped onions instead of chopping a fresh one. You could also use garlic paste in place of the fresh.
I’ve made this tomato soup several times using whatever stock I have on hand. The first time I used a splash of beef stock which gave it a bit more depth of flavor, but since then I’ve stuck with chicken stock since that’s usually what’s stocked in my fridge, so don’t get hung up on specificity. Use what you have on hand and experiment. You can use vegetable broth or even water.
This is a tomato basil soup so fresh basil is a given, but feel free to add other chopped herbs like parsley or thyme. You can also add 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning when you cook the onion to add extra flavor.
How to Make It
This is such an easy recipe there’s basically two steps – simmer and puree.
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté them in the garlic for a minute, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and broth Simmer the soup for five minutes.
Puree the soup using an immersion blender. Add the basil, stir, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve.
Garnish Ideas
Want it a little fancier? Add some of these garnishes:
- Chopped herbs
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Crispy croutons
- Add a dollop of pesto to stir into the soup
Questions and Answers
Add a few tablespoons (for one serving) of heavy cream or half and half after you puree the soup. It will give it a rich, creamy texture.
For this recipe, I prefer high-quality canned tomatoes because you don’t have to worry if the tomatoes are too acidic. I haven’t tested the recipe with fresh for that reason.
If you want to make it ahead it should keep well for at least three to four days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for several months. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
It’s so quick on the stovetop I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker, so let me know if you do!
Treat yourself to this super easy soup! It’s one of my all-time favorites – I hope you love it, too.
Happy Cooking!
More Great Soup Recipes
- 15-Minute Meatball Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper Bisque
10-Minute Tomato Basil Soup
This simple tomato basil soup for one takes just ten minutes to make and has six simple ingredients. It’s a great easy lunch or light dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (see note)
- 1/3 cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 large basil leaves, chopped
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook them in the garlic for a minute, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stock. Simmer the soup for five minutes.
- Puree the soup using an immersion blender or transfer it to a stand blender. Add the basil, stir, season with salt to taste, and serve.
Notes
The type of canned tomatoes you use makes a big difference in this recipe. I like to use the brand Muir Glen because the tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic.
Nutrition
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 993.6mg
- Fat: 11.2g
- Carbohydrates: 32.1g
- Fiber: 4.7g
- Protein: 6.3g
Post updated from the archives. First published in June 2018.
It kind of just tastes like salsa sauce. Maybe adding more vegetables and some heavy cream would make it taste more like soup
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. Tomato basil soup is pretty simple so if you don’t like tomatoes as the main flavor it’s probably not for you. If you prefer cream in your soup you might like my Tomato Bisque or Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Bisque.