La Madeleine Tomato Basil Soup is a classic soup. Perfect for a cold winter day, or even a hearty lunch La Madeleine is known for their tomato basil soup. This is another classic from the famous French restaurant and bakery.
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Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
One of my favorite dishes at La Madeleine is their tomato basil soup. This soup can make a whole meal. I hate to say how many times I have gone in here and just ordered a bowl of soup for a meal.
The soup is rich and creamy and simply packed with flavor. Fresh basil leaves add a lot of flavor to this recipe. Since many grocery stores sell fresh basil, you don’t need to let that stop you when making this tomato basil soup.
Homemade Tomato Basil Soup is Easy to Make!
You can use fresh or canned tomatoes for this recipe. Both will work just fine, I like to use San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes are grown in Italy in volcanic soil.
I have also used Kirkland brand from Costco with great results. One thing I don’t skip on is the use of fresh basil. Fresh basil is what makes this soup extra special.
Best Tool to Puree Soup
If you have tried this soup before you will know it is a fairly smooth soup. For this recipe, I like to use a stick blender. A stick blender is easy to use, you simply immerse the blender into the soup, and puree away.
You can puree this soup in a blender, but be careful because the soup will be hot. When you need to puree the soup, do it in batches. Do not fill the blender to the top. Also, hold the top because the top may come off while blending.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Fresh or canned tomatoes
- Tomato juice*
- Fresh basil leaves
- Heavy cream
- Unsalted butter
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
*You can use half tomato juice and half chicken or vegetable stock.
How to Make Tomato Basil Soup
- Simmer tomatoes, juice, and basil in a soup pot or large saucepan for 30 minutes.
- Add butter and heavy cream.
- Cook until the butter is melted.
- Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Or in the pot with an immersion blender.
- Bring the soup back to a simmer.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish the soup with basil leaves and serve it with your favorite bread.
How to Reheat Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
This soup is best reheated slowly on the stovetop. You will not need to add extra liquid to this soup.
The heavy cream in the soup makes reheating very easy. Be careful not to heat the soup on high because it can scorch.
It’s good to stir the soup while it is reheating. This will also help to keep it from scorching.
Do you love tomato soup? Try these recipes!
- 4B’s Tomato Soup
- Gluten Free Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Panera Tomato Soup
- Quick Tomato Soup
- Tomato Onion Soup
Popular Soup Recipes
- Clam Chowder Soup Recipe
- Olive Garden Toscana Soup
- Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- Potato Soup Recipe
- Sausage and Lentil Soup
- She Crab Soup Recipe
- Southwest Soup
Check out more of my easy soup recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes here on CopyKat!
La Madeleine’s Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups tomatoes peeled, cored and chopped, or 4 cups canned chopped tomatoes
- 4 cups tomato juice
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes, tomato juice, and basil in a soup pot or large saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer it 30 minutes.
- Add butter and heavy cream.
- Stir and cook until the butter is melted.
- Puree the soup in small batches in a blender or food processor. Or you can use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
- Return the soup to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish the soup with basil leaves and serve it with your favorite bread.
Video
Notes
- 2 cups tomato juice and 2 cups of chicken stock – I personally think the flavor is more well-rounded this way.
- 2 cups tomato juice and 2 cups of vegetable stock – perfect for when you want the soup vegetarian and not vegan.
Henry Jason
Great flavor and so easy to make.
A Brace
I like to use canned crushed fire roasted tomato, adds another layer of flavor
Laura
I could can this, but my thought in making a triple batch was to freeze some. Have you frozen it before? Does that work okay?
Stephanie
I have not personally frozen or canned this recipe. I am sorry I can’t speak from experience.
Kathy
To can this, do you hot water bath or pressure cook? For how long and how many pounds if pressured?
Stephanie
I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know. I think a hot water bath would be a bad idea, I would treat this more as a meat when pressure canning.
Amanda Dye
I remember when the first La Madeleine opened in metro Atlanta. This was the first thing I ordered that day. Returned many times b/c I loved it so much. I’ve missed it in the past few years since moving to MN. Thanks for this recipe – it turned out perfect and exactly as I remember it.
Stephanie
I am glad you liked the soup. It is rich and wonderful 😉
JODIE HARRIS
I lived near East Cobb outside Atlanta then moved to Podunk nowhere small town Iowa. I sure miss this restaurant.
K
You can order it on Amazon if that helps you
Rob Cochran
Great recipe, a bit bland.
I kicked it up a notch by 1.) adding 4 tablespoons of fresh garlic. 2.) 2 tablespoons of olive oil 3.) Double the basil 4.) 8 strips of bacon, 5.) Broil for 40 minutes the canned tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil. with bacon on top. 5.) Subbing half of the tomato juice add with V-8 Spicy. 6.) Blender every thing until just this side of smooth. 7.) Put every all in large pot with 1/2 lb butter and 2 cups cream. 8.) Heat at medium for 20 minute as it turns golden orange.
Drop dead good, think you’ll find it closer to La Madeleine’s
Dena
I need to multiply this recipe for a large group. Any tricks or just multiply?
Adrienne
Made this tonight and it was wonderful! It serves 4-6. I used a 28oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes and about 32oz of tomato juice, and it tasted just like the restaurant version! Thank you for sharing!
Labellady
How many servings? The recipe says 1….???
Danielle
I just finished making this, and it’s DELICIOUS! It’s so smooth and creamy. I used dried basil, since it’s what I had, but other than that I stuck to the recipe. Oh, and I used 3.5 cups of vegetable broth and 1/2 cup of tomato juice for that part.
Ann
How long will this keep if stored in glass jars?mi would like to give this as a gift.
Stephanie
I think it would work best if you canned it, but if you are going to prepare it and then put it in jars, I wouldn’t do more than two or three days from when it is placed in a jar and when it is concumed.
Meg
Do I use 4 cups of tomato juice and 4 cups of stock or 2 cups of each? Thank you!!!
Stephanie Manley
It is a total of 4 cups of liquid. It could be 2 cups of tomato juice and then two cups of stock. Or 4 cups of tomato juice.
Sherlyn Fisher
Did anyone ever answer the question regarding what “part vegetable stock or chicken stock “means?
Stephanie Manley
It means you can use either chicken or vegetable stock.
George
It means she won’t answer the question of how much she used. Try your luck and see. Maybe it’ll taste great, maybe not.
Stephanie
Oh George, I just missed the comment. I really apologize for that. I have amended the notes of the recipe to be very clear on the notes. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I really appreciate it!
Darrell
I have never tried tomato basil this way with the cream I mean. It sounds wonderful. Can I make this thicker with starch, I wonder?
Cobaltcrazy
you can also use half n half instead of cream and it tastes the same but healthier!!
Margarita
My family and I love it. This is La Madeleine tomato soup for sure.
anthony
this recipe sounds really delicious. i will have to give it a try this weekend.
Alex
I love this recipe. I’ve served this at multiple dinners and get togethers and each time it is received with many oohhss….and aahhs.. Even folks who don’t like raw tomato are usually suprised by how much the enjoy this. Thank you for sharing! I am off to make it again for tonight’s dinner party. Cheers.
Californiagirl
what did you do with this where the recipe calls for…
4 C. tomato juice and part vegetable stock or chicken stock
I am not quite sure where it says and 1 part veg stalk or chic stock???