Rich in flavor with a hint of umami, this easy and delicious Homemade Tomato Soup is perfect for any time of the day.
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It’s crazy how much I still love tomato soup as an adult, given the amount I’ve scarfed down as a kid. It’s the epitome of comfort foods for me — simple, delicious, and can warm you up in a jiffy!
And though soups are best enjoyed during the winter months, tomato soup just seems to fit in with every season and type of weather. It’s also something that can be devoured as is, or be enjoyed with numerous sides for a more complete meal.
The ever popular combo for tomato soup is to serve it with the good old grilled cheese sandwich. You can also dress your tomato soup up with some croutons, or pair it with some garlic bread, garlic bread roll-ups, baked potatoes, or even some smashed potatoes!
Comforting Homemade Tomato Soup
The first time I looked up recipes on how to make homemade tomato soup, I was surprised at how easy it actually was to make some from scratch!
You have the aromatics like onion and garlic, an array of seasonings, some chicken or veggie broth for extra flavor, and of course, the tomatoes. In this recipe, we use fire roasted canned tomatoes, but you can definitely substitute them with some fresh ones if that’s your preference.
Over the years, I’ve tweaked this tomato soup recipe to achieve the ultimate savory flavor with a dash of umami. And part of the secret is to add some light soy sauce. Once I’ve started adding it into my soup, I couldn’t go back!

Ingredients
(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)
- Small onion
- Garlic
- Fire roasted canned tomatoes
- Basil (optional)
- Low sodium chicken/veggie broth
- Heavy cream
Seasonings
- Light soy sauce
- Sugar
- Pepper
- Italian seasonings
- Paprika
- Salt
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, add oil. Once it’s hot enough, add onions and garlic. Sauté for a 1-2 minutes before pouring in the can of tomatoes.
- Add seasonings, fresh basil (optional) and stir. Pour in low sodium chicken/veggie broth (see notes) and stir. Bring to a simmer.
- Let it simmer for over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring before turning off heat and pouring in heavy cream. Give it another stir before using blending it with your immersion blender/normal blender.
- Taste and adjust to taste. Serve while hot in bowls with grilled cheese or on its own. Optional step: add a drizzle of olive oil, fresh cream and a few fresh basil leaves on top of the soup to garnish. Enjoy!
Notes for Homemade Tomato Soup
- Type of tomatoes: I used canned tomatoes but feel free to use fresh ones. Please note that it will take longer to cook if you use fresh tomatoes.
- Basil: Basil is optional but I like the taste that it adds to the soup.
- Light soy sauce: I like using light soy sauce to add a hint of umami to this soup.
- Soup texture preference: I like a thicker soup with a bit of texture. If you prefer a smoother soup, add a bit more broth and blend it for longer. Strain the soup to get a smoother soup. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Creamy tomato soup: After blending and while the soup is still hot, finish off with 1 tbsp of butter and stir until it melts.
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Creamy Mac and Cheese
- Malaysian-Style Soy Sauce Eggs (Telur Masak Kicap)
- Chicken Katsu Sandwich Sliders
- Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) – No Mirin or Sake
- Easy Hearty Noodle Soup (15 minutes)
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How to make homemade tomato soup

Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small onion sliced
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 14.5 oz fire roasted canned tomatoes
- 1 handful basil optional
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken/veggie broth see notes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasonings
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, add oil. Once it's hot enough, add onions and garlic. Sauté for a 1-2 minutes before pouring in the can of tomatoes.
- Add seasonings, fresh basil (optional) and stir. Pour in low sodium chicken/veggie broth (see notes) and stir. Bring to a simmer.
- Let it simmer for over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring before turning off heat and pouring in heavy cream. Give it another stir before using blending it with your immersion blender/normal blender.
- Taste and adjust to taste. Serve while hot in bowls with grilled cheese or on its own. Optional step: add a drizzle of olive oil, fresh cream and a few fresh basil leaves on top of the soup to garnish. Enjoy!
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