Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Velvety, deep-red tomato soup with sweet onion, garlic, fresh basil and a swirl of cream and parmesan — no sugar or flour, and ready in 40 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
1 cup- Net carbs
- 7.2g
- Calories
- 219kcal
- Protein
- 5g
- Fat
- 18g
- Total carbs
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 4.3 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Vegan: Olive oil and coconut milk instead of butter, cream and parmesan — creamy, with just a hint of coconut under the tomato.
- Cook the onion in olive oil and use vegetable broth. Stir in the coconut milk in place of the cream and parmesan, with a pinch more salt to make up for the cheese.
Roasted red pepper: A roasted red pepper blended in adds smoky sweetness and an even deeper color.
- Roast the pepper under a hot broiler for 10–15 minutes, turning, until blackened all over. Cover it for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and add it to the pot with the tomatoes. (Or use about ¾ cup of drained jarred roasted peppers.)
-
¼ cup Parmesanleave out
- Also add
Estimated cost $6.93 for 4 servings ($1.73 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion 5–6 minutes, until soft and translucent, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
-
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, until it darkens to a brick-red color.
-
Add the tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with your hands or a spoon as they go in, along with the broth, oregano and sweetener. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
-
Take the pan off the heat, add the basil and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (In a countertop blender, fill it only halfway and remove the center cap, covering the hole with a towel, so steam can escape.)
-
Return to low heat and stir in the cream and parmesan until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with torn basil and a drizzle of cream.
Tips for success
-
Whole canned tomatoes are usually better quality than diced, which are treated to stay firm and don't break down as well. San Marzano-style tomatoes give the sweetest flavor. - A teaspoon of sweetener takes the sharp edge off the tomatoes, the way the sugar in canned soup does, without the carbs. Add it, taste, and only add more if needed.
- For the classic pairing, dunk a grilled cheese made with almond flour bread or chaffles.
Nice to have, not needed
- An immersion blender makes it silky right in the pot — a countertop blender works with the lid vented.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Reheat over medium heat, stirring; if you froze it before adding the cream, stir in the cream and parmesan as it warms.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze before adding the cream and parmesan for up to 3 months, and stir them in as you reheat.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosVegan
DietOlive oil and coconut milk instead of butter, cream and parmesan — creamy, with just a hint of coconut under the tomato.
- butter → olive oil
- heavy cream → canned coconut milk
- no Parmesan
7 g net · 167 kcal · 2.9 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$1.53 per serving (−0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
Roasted red pepper
VeggiesA roasted red pepper blended in adds smoky sweetness and an even deeper color.
- + 1 large red bell pepper
8.6 g net · 229 kcal · 5.4 g protein · 18 g fat · ≈$1.91 per serving (+1.4 g net carbs vs the original)
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