This is an easy Basil Tomato Bisque soup recipe you can make from home, just like in restaurants!
Tomato soup can run the gamut. Some are on the salty side and brothy, some are chunky (personally? = ew), some are so perfectly smooth you think it’s tomato-flavored soup instead of the real deal.
I’ve always loved tomato soup, the creamier bisque-style especially; and I’ve tried it at nearly every restaurant that serves it.
After tweaking a few variations of tomato bisque recipes, I’ve come up with one that I really, really like. It makes enough to share with another tomato soup-loving friend or neighbor, and it’s easy to fraction down for a smaller family.
Basil Tomato Bisque Recipe
Except for possibly the heavy cream, the ingredients for Basil Tomato Bisque you likely have on hand already. It’s a great way to use up fresh tomatoes from the garden if you’re making this in the summer, but you can certainly used dried as I did here.
Ingredients:
- 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes (I use 2 cans of Fire Roasted tomatoes for a bit more flavor, with 1 can regular. You can also try the variety with garlic & Italian seasonings)
- 1 14.5-oz can chicken broth
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 4 TBS butter, unsalted
- 1T dried basil (or 3T fresh)
- 1 T sugar
Easy directions:
Pour tomatoes and chicken broth into pot. Chunk up butter a bit and add to pot, along with basil and sugar. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted.
Turn heat to medium-low and blend with hand blender.
Because I don’t prefer super chunky soups, I use a hand blender. You can blend it before heating, or during heating. An alternative is blending in a blender, then pouring into your pot.
If you’re hand blending while heating, just exercise caution. You want the blade to be under the surface enough so it’s not touching the bottom of your pot (it almost acts like a vacuum), but don’t come too much to the surface or you will be cleaning tomato bisque off your light fixtures. I posted this on Instagram showing how I use short spurts and move the blender around the pot.
Keep blending until the soup is at the texture and consistency that you like.
Add a little bit of heavy cream slowly to the soup, while stirring. Then slowly add the rest of the cream, so as not to affect the temperature of the soup too drastically. You could also ladle out a couple scoops of the hot soup, mix all of the cream to that, then mix that back into the soup and stir.
Garnish with a sprinkle of basil, parsley, shaved Parmesan or top with croutons.
This post was originally published on October 10, 2014.
Be sure to check out more of my family favorite recipes, such as:
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Asian Coleslaw with Ramen Noodles
- Spiced Cider
- Pumpkin Spice Cake Trifle
Basil Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes I use 2 cans of Fire Roasted tomatoes for a bit more flavor, with 1 can regular. You can also try the variety with garlic & Italian seasonings
- 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 4 TBS butter unsalted
- 1 T dried basil or 3T fresh
- 1 T sugar
Instructions
-
Pour tomatoes and chicken broth into pot. Chunk up butter a bit and add to pot, along with basil and sugar.
-
Heat over medium heat until butter is melted.
-
Turn heat to medium-low and blend with hand blender. Keep blending until the soup is at the texture and consistency that you like.
-
Add a little bit of heavy cream slowly to the soup, while stirring. Then slowly add the rest of the cream, so as not to affect the temperature of the soup too drastically.
-
Garnish with a sprinkle of basil, parsley, shaved Parmesan or top with croutons.
I love sharing ways to spend less, so families can do more! My passions are cooking, late night TV and being amused by my witty husband and three kids.
what does the T stand for in the basil and sugar? sorry may sound dumb but im new to cooking.
Sorry I’m just now seeing your question! A capital “T” in recipes is for tablespoon, a small “t” is for teaspoon. Thanks!
Oh, this looks delicious! Pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich, and I would be in heaven. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
What size are your cans? I got ones that are similar in size to my pint of cream today but I’m wondering what ones you got specifically. Thanks!
Hi Jen! Good point! I’ll update the post, but it is based on 14.5 oz size cans. Thank you!
I have made this soup a few times and every time it’s a hit! Thank you!
I pair it with a three cheese grille. And it’s just like Applebee’s only at home!
Thank you Rainy, glad you like it!
How many people would you say this serves?
This recipe would serve at least 6. Sometimes I cut it in half, it’s so easy to make!
How many ounces is your can of chicken broth?
Size can of chicken broth do you use?
Hi Michelle! Sorry about that! I just updated the post, it’s a 14.5 oz can of chicken broth.
Omg this is so good! I’m actually eating it right now! I used salted butter because that’s what I had but I added a Tbs of that minced dried onion stuff and a few cranks of ground pepper. I paired it with grilled cheese cut diagonally and everything 🙂 but I gotta say, anything that gets the slightly picky 6 and 9 year olds to go on and on about being “delicious” and “sooo good” and “can we take this in our thermos tomorrow?!?” is a winner in my book!
Hi Toni! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup recipe! I’ve had to cut down on the volume I make because while my kids & husband will eat it once, I’m the only one to enjoy the leftovers! Thank you so much for your kind comment.
I made this recipe and it was delicious with a ham and cheese panini. My husband loved it so much he took left overs to work for lunch.
Thank you Gerri, so glad you enjoyed it!
Also really good with a dollop (sp?) of sour cream and cracked pepper on top. I serve mine with Garlic sourdough toast for dipping…heavenly. Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe looks great. Is there a way to print the ingredients and directions?
My 8 year old stepdaughter LOVES this. Paired with a grilled cheese, it’s a perfect rainy day meal.
Why do you put TBS for the butter as tablespoons, but then just a capital t for tablespoons for the sugar and basil? That’s very confusing.
My family & I love your basil tomato soup!!! I do have a question, can the soup be frozen?
Thank you Karen! If you want to make ahead to freeze, you would want to leave out the dairy as it would separate when frozen. Then add in the cream once it’s thawed and heating. Hope this helps!
This soup is absolutely amazing! Great recipe, it turned out delicious.
Thank you, Ryan! Appreciate your review!
How many fresh tomatoes do you use as equivalent to the canned? Type of tomato?
Hi Elena, for a 14.5 oz can you can use 5-6 whole tomatoes (or about 1 lb). Hope this helps!
Can I use canned tomatoes for this bisque?
Have you ever canned any before ?
I want to can some for Christmas.
What are your thoughts?
Hi Sheila, yes you for sure can used canned tomatoes for this soup! I have not tried canning it after making (I’ve actually not canned anything before!). Good luck, please report back with how it goes if you do decide to can some! Thank you for writing!