Upgrade your classic tomato soup recipe with a rich and creamy tomato bisque that has a smooth texture and lots of flavors. It's the perfect heartwarming soup to enjoy on a chilly day that takes under an hour to make and is sure to become a household favorite!
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This delicious tomato bisque soup is the perfect comfort food! It has a rich flavor from the fragrant tomato broth and is perfectly balanced by the creamy heavy cream. The soup has a lovely silky-smooth texture and a bright reddish-pink color.
You'll love the chunks of diced tomatoes and the flavor of the roasted garlic. The flavors in this creamy soup are perfectly balanced and come together to create a dish that is truly comforting and delicious.
Tomato bisque soup is perfect for a winter meal when you're sick or craving something warm and comforting. This recipe is super easy to follow and only takes about 30 minutes to make. Plus, it's a great way to use up any leftover fresh tomatoes you might have.
Looking for some comforting and delicious recipes? Check out our 50 healthy comfort food recipes. From hearty stews to creamy soups, we've got you covered. And if you're feeling under the weather, be sure to check out our list of the best comfort recipes when sick.
🍽 Key Ingredients
The great thing about this tomato bisque recipe is that it's made with pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. For the soup, you'll need:
Onion, carrot, and celery - These three ingredients are known as mirepoix. They form the basis of many soups and stews.
Roasted garlic - A generous spoon of roasted garlic will give this soup a beautiful fragrant flavor.
All-purpose flour - The flour is used to thicken the soup and give it a lovely creamy texture.
Chicken broth - Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth so that the soup isn't too salty.
Canned tomatoes - One can of diced tomatoes is all you need to provide the rich tomato flavor for this recipe.
Heavy cream - The heavy cream balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the soup super creamy.
Salt and pepper - Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Fresh basil - Chopped fresh basil is a delicious garnish for this soup.
Substitutions
Garlic
You can easily make your own roasted garlic by roasting a bulb of garlic at 350F in the oven for 30 minutes, covered in aluminum foil. You can also find roasted garlic in grocery stores.
Canned diced tomatoes
If you have fresh tomatoes, you can use those instead. Just dice them up and add them to the soup.
Vegetarian version
Substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the heavy whipping cream for coconut milk.
🔪 How to make
Tomato bisque is a wonderful soup to make at home that is warming, flavorful, and so easy to make. This recipe is perfect as an appetizer and goes hand in hand with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Preparations
- Slice the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces.
- Chop the basil into strips.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Set a large soup pot over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and add the sliced onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until the onions are soft.
Step 2
Add the roasted minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 3
Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes.
Step 4
Stir to combine and bring the soup to a boil before reducing the temperature to medium heat. Cover the large pot with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it's completely smooth.
Step 6
Stir ¾ cup of the cream into the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 7
Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of the remaining heavy cream, fresh basil, store-bought or homemade croutons, and a crack of pepper.
💭 Cooking tips
Soup texture
If you like your soup on the thicker side, cook it for a longer time so that it reduces and thickens. Add some more chicken broth if you like it on the thinner side.
Blending the soup
If you're using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending. Hot soup + blender = big mess.
📖 Variations
There are so many ways you can change up this soup to make it your own. Here are a few ideas:
Roasted tomato bisque
Use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
Spicy tomato bisque
Add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the soup for a little heat. You can also add 1 can of crushed tomatoes with green chiles instead of the diced tomatoes.
Herbed tomato bisque
Stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme, oregano, or rosemary for a herbal flavor. You can also use Italian seasoning if you have it on hand.
🥗 What to serve with
You can serve tomato bisque on its own with some croutons or crispy onions or as part of a rounded meal with a sandwich, salad, or fries. Here are a few suggestions:
Grilled cheese sandwich
There's nothing better than an ultimate grilled cheese sandwich with chipotle, bacon, and avocado. This gooey toasted sandwich is the perfect pairing for a bowl of bisque.
French fries
Whether you make them from scratch or buy them frozen, oven-baked fries are the perfect side to dip into this soup. Try this easy recipe for Italian-style French fries with garlic and rosemary! They're easy to prepare and have a wonderful flavor and crispiness.
Wraps
If you're looking for a tasty wrap to go on the side of your delicious tomato bisque, try one of our 32 easy sandwich wrap recipes. From Southwest chicken wraps to vegan wraps and Thai peanut wraps, there's something for everyone!
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tomato soup and bisque?
Tomato soup is usually a smooth, pureed soup made with tomatoes, while bisque is a creamy, thick soup made with shellfish or other seafood. This recipe for tomato bisque falls somewhere in the middle, as it's a bit thicker than tomato soup but doesn't use shellfish and is not as thick as traditional seafood bisques.
How do you fix tomato soup that is too acidic?
If your soup is too acidic, you can add a teaspoon of sugar to help balance it out or a pinch of baking soda to help mellow the acidity.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
Leftover tomato bisque can be eaten over many days without losing its flavor or texture.
Fridge - Transfer the tomato soup to an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Freezer - Once the leftover tomato bisque has cooled, pour it into a freezer container and freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheating - Reheat in a pot over medium heat on the stove until hot. You may need to add a splash of water or broth if the soup is too thick.
If the consistency is watery from the frozen soup, you can thicken it up with corn flour or cook it for longer to reduce it until it becomes thick.
🍳 Related comfort food recipes
Soup is a great way to use up leftover ingredients and make a hearty, satisfying meal. This collection of 35 easy soup recipes with few ingredients is perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a quick and delicious meal.
For more flavor, try one of the fantastic soup topping ideas, from nuts to crispy bacon - these toppings will take your soup to the next level!
👪 Serving size
This tomato bisque recipe makes 4-6 servings. You can scale the recipe up or down as needed.
Tomato bisque is a creamy, thick soup made with tomatoes and other vegetables. It's the perfect meal for a cold winter day or a light summer lunch. Give it a try, and let me know what you think in the comments.
Love this side dish recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort side dish recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 medium Carrot - sliced
- 1 stalk Celery - sliced
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
- 4 cup Chicken broth - low sodium
- 28 ounces Diced tomatoes - 1 can
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper - freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon Fresh basil - chopped for garnish
- slices baguette toasts for serving
Instructions
Preparations
- Slice the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces.
- Chop the basil into strips.
Cooking instructions
- Set a large soup pot over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and add the sliced onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add the roasted minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes.
- Stir to combine and bring the soup to a boil before reducing the temperature to medium heat. Cover the large pot with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it's completely smooth.
- Stir ¾ cup of the cream into the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of the remaining heavy cream, fresh basil, store-bought or homemade croutons, and a crack of pepper.
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