This tomato basil soup is smooth, creamy and made almost entirely from canned tomatoes in one pot. It simmers for 20 minutes, gets blended and is finished with a little cream.
Two cans of tomatoes, an onion and some broth make four bowls. Paired with grilled cheese, it’s one of the cheapest comfort dinners there is.
One pot and about 30 minutes.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Canned tomatoes: Crushed and diced. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky note.
- Onion and garlic: Cooked in butter for the flavor base.
- Broth: Vegetable or chicken.
- Basil: Dried during cooking, or fresh stirred in at the end.
- Cream: Heavy cream or half-and-half. Coconut milk makes it dairy-free.
- Sugar: A teaspoon balances the acidity.
Tips for a Smooth Tomato Soup
- Soften the onion fully. Raw-tasting onion carries through to the finished soup.
- Blend carefully. An immersion blender is easiest. With a regular blender, work in batches, fill it no more than halfway and vent the lid, since hot soup expands.
- Add the cream off the heat. Stir it in at the end and don’t boil.
- Taste for balance. Too sharp? Add a pinch more sugar. Flat? Add salt.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $4.73 from Walmart, $4.49 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.12 to $1.18
One-Pot Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, sugar, and basil. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer 15–20 minutes.
- Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender (or carefully in batches in a blender with the lid vented).
- Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with fresh basil and a grilled cheese sandwich.
Notes
- For a dairy-free soup, use olive oil and coconut milk.
- Add a Parmesan rind while simmering for extra depth (remove before blending).
- Stir in cooked pasta or rice to make it heartier.
- Top with croutons or a drizzle of pesto.
What to Serve with It
Grilled cheese is the classic. Smoky Cheddar Twists, Soft Dinner Rolls or homemade croutons are good for dunking too.
Which Canned Tomatoes to Use
This tomato basil soup is made with canned tomatoes, which are picked ripe and usually taste better than fresh tomatoes out of season. Any of these work:
- Crushed tomatoes: the smoothest soup with the least blending. Two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes can replace the crushed and diced cans in the recipe.
- Diced tomatoes: a little more texture. Blend a bit longer.
- Whole peeled tomatoes: often the best flavor for the price. Crush them with your hands as they go into the pot.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: a smoky flavor that’s great with grilled cheese.
Shortcut: Tomato Basil Soup From Canned Tomato Soup
Short on time? A can of condensed tomato soup makes a fast base. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and cook 2 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds. Add two cans of condensed tomato soup, one can of milk, ½ teaspoon dried basil and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in a splash of cream and a little grated Parmesan.
It won’t taste quite like the from-scratch version, but it’s a big step up from the can on its own and ready in about 10 minutes.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat.
- For the best texture, freeze before adding the cream, for up to 3 months. Stir in the cream after reheating.
Tomato Soup Questions
Can I use fresh tomatoes?
Yes, in season. Use about 3 pounds of ripe tomatoes, chopped, and simmer for 30 minutes before blending.
Can I leave it chunky?
Yes. Skip the blending, or blend only half.
Can I make tomato basil soup with canned tomato soup?
Yes. Simmer two cans of condensed tomato soup with a can of milk, garlic cooked in butter and dried basil, then finish with a splash of cream. It takes about 10 minutes.
Are crushed or diced tomatoes better for tomato soup?
Crushed tomatoes give the smoothest soup with the least blending. Diced tomatoes work too and just need a little longer in the blender.
How do I make tomato soup less acidic?
Add a teaspoon of sugar, a splash of cream or a pinch of baking soda, a little at a time, tasting as you go.
