There’s nothing quite like the comfort of a warm bowl of homemade tomato soup, especially when it’s made with love, as my mama used to make it. This simple creamy tomato soup transforms basic pantry ingredients into a soul-warming soup that tastes infinitely better than anything from a can. The secret lies in the perfect balance of cream and a surprising ingredient that creates the smoothest texture you’ve ever experienced.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The magic happens when baking soda neutralizes the acidity in the tomatoes, preventing the dairy from curdling and creating an incredibly smooth, velvety texture. This technique, combined with the right ratio of cream to milk, produces a rich soup without being heavy. Using whole ingredients means you control the flavor and avoid the preservatives found in canned varieties,
Ingredients
- Diced tomatoes – Fresh or high-quality canned tomatoes provide the base flavor and texture
- Butter – Creates richness and helps meld all the flavors together
- Baking soda – The secret ingredient that prevents curdling and creates silky smoothness
- Heavy cream – Adds luxurious richness and creamy mouthfeel
- Milk – Balances the cream to prevent the soup from being too heavy
- Salt – Enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes
- Black pepper – Adds subtle warmth and depth to the flavor profile
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the Dairy Base
- Combine 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Heat the mixture slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Be very careful not to let the dairy scorch on the bottom of the pan.
- Continue heating until the mixture is hot but not boiling. When it’s ready, small bubbles will form around the edges.
Add the Magic Ingredient
- Once the dairy mixture is hot, quickly add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and stir immediately. The mixture will foam up dramatically, which is entirely normal.
- Stir vigorously for about 30 seconds until the foaming subsides. This crucial step prevents the dairy from curdling when the acidic tomatoes are added.
Incorporate the Tomatoes
- Add the 14 ounces of diced tomatoes (including their juices) to the hot dairy mixture.
- Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly throughout the soup.
- Reheat the soup until it’s steaming hot, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen and improve after a day in the refrigerator.
- Reheating Method: Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. If the soup has thickened too much during storage, add a splash of milk or cream.
- Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Note that the texture may separate slightly upon thawing; simply whisk while reheating to restore smoothness.
Thanks to Aflutterby for sharing this recipe.
More Soup Recipes
Want some more soup ideas? Try one of these next!
- Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
- Quick and Easy Chili – a tried and true family recipe
- Applebee’s French Onion Soup
Easy Homemade Tomato Soup – Creamy & Delicious
Ingredients
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda helps prevent curdling
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream half and half or evaporated milk is ok
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Â In a large saucepan add the two cups of milk, one cup of heavy cream, and butter. Heat until hot, be careful not to scorch the liquid!
- Once the liquid is hot, add the baking soda, stir quickly as it will foam.
- Add the tomatoes and reheat until hot.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Tomato soup is my favorite. I always add a lot of pepper to it, I like very intense flavor. Your recipe is very good, today it made me delicious for dinner. Thanks for that, he adds to the favorites.
need a recipe without dairy
This is a great recipe, however, I added a large tablespoon of tomato paste to thicken the soup and instead of using a can of diced tomatoes, I used a can of crushed tomatoes. Delicious with grilled cheese sandwiches!
There is something about how tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when eaten together. It simply tastes so good.
It’s pretty good but I’m thinking there’s too much milk in it? Mine came out more of a little pinkish-orange rather than that nice deep orange in the picture. But it was a cheap and fairly easy recipe.
Added some basil and grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped onion – – – an entire meal in a bowl!
Just like my mom made–including the grilled cheese sandwich! Friday lunch back in “the old days”. My kids & grandkids love it as much as I did.