Description

This Middle-of-Winter Creamy Tomato Soup is a comforting, rich, and velvety soup made from simple pantry staples like canned crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a splash of cream or plant-based milk. It combines aromatic sautéed onions, carrots, garlic, and tomato paste, simmered with vegetable broth and optional white wine for depth of flavor, then blended until smooth and finished with cream for indulgent creaminess. Perfect for cold days and easy to prepare, this soup is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan with suitable milk alternatives.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

Herbs and Flavorings

4 tablespoons tomato paste
Optional: up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh basil leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or generous pinch dried thyme)

Main Ingredients

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock or broth
Optional: ½ cup dry, unoaked white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
2 cups heavy cream, milk, or unsweetened plant milk of choice (almond, oat milk, etc.)

Seasoning

Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Cook the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the diced onion and carrots. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and crushed red pepper flakes if using, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste browns a little and the garlic is fragrant.
Build and simmer: Add the fresh basil, thyme, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and optional white wine to the pot. Stir everything well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and let it simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are fully tender and flavors meld.
Blend: Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender no more than two-thirds full, removing the center cap from the blender lid and covering the opening with a thick kitchen towel to vent steam. Blend until the soup is smooth and creamy. Return the blended soup to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the soup until smooth.
Finish the creamy tomato soup: Stir in the cream, milk, or plant-based milk of choice. Cook the soup over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and optionally top with cracked black pepper, extra crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil leaves. Pair it with crusty bread or a gooey mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich for a perfect meal. Enjoy!

Notes

White wine adds complex flavor; use dry, unoaked wines like Pinot Grigio. Substitute with dry vermouth or vegetable stock plus a splash of apple cider vinegar if avoiding alcohol.
For creaminess, heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk work well. For dairy-free/vegan versions, unsweetened almond milk or other mild plant milks are best; avoid coconut milk due to strong flavor.
Prep chopped onions and carrots up to 5 days in advance, stored airtight in the fridge to speed up meal prep.
Store cooked soup in an airtight container refrigerated up to 5 days; reheat on stovetop or microwave before serving.
Freeze cooled soup in airtight containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in fridge and reheat as usual.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup (about 245g)
Calories: 210
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 470mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 35mg