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We are at the very tail end of tomato season here in N.C. (thanks to the warm fall weather we’ve been having) so we did use fresh tomatoes, but this tomato bisque recipe can easily be made with canned tomatoes as well. (For a tomato bisque with fresh tomatoes, aim for roughly 10 of them in lieu of the canned version we use for this recipe).
Easy Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe
I should also mention that my kids (who are not even tomato fans other than spaghetti and pizza sauce) loved this dish! They even asked for seconds. Tomato bisque is a great way to sneak some more veggies into your family's diet! The creamy and delicious soup is packed with flavor, and seriously stands as an entire meal on its own. So enjoy and don’t forget to freeze the leftovers!
Below, find our recipe for making Tomato Bisque from scratch including all of the hearty ingredients and step-by-step directions!
Creamy Homemade Tomato Bisque
This is a great opportunity to use up some extra tomatoes from the garden, and a must-try easy to make soup recipe if you're new to the game! I intentionally created this recipe with nutrition and ingredient quality in mind. Unlike the canned stuff, there's no hidden sodium or sugars. That makes this bisque a comfort-style meal your whole family can enjoy without sacrificing your commitment to real food.
How to Make This an Even More Creamy Tomato Bisque
True to this recipe, it's really easy to make it this tomato bisque even creamier! The secret isn't in the hearty whole wheat roux, but instead the heavy cream. Whether you're using organic or regular cream, you can simply adjust the creaminess of this tomato bisque by adding more or less. Pairing it with a grilled cheese? You might want it to be a bit on the creamy side so it's perfect for dipping!
Tip: If you don't have any heavy cream on hand, whole milk can be substituted, but of course wont' be as thick. Add it a little at a time to get the texture and taste combination you're looking for.
Can you Freeze Tomato Bisque?
This tomato bisque recipe is ideal for freezing! In fact, I recommend doubling the batch so your next soup night can be an easy one. Whether you're saving your leftovers for another meal or cooking a batch of this ahead of time, you'll find it freezes exceptionally well. To freeze this bisque, pour the completely cooled soup into freezer proof jars up to the fill line, screw on the top, and add a label with date. We use a mix of 8 oz jelly jars (for individual servings) and 16 oz wide mouth mason jars at our house.
*I suggest consuming the frozen soup within a year for best flavor and consistency, however there is no safety issue if you wait longer.
How to Reheat Bisque:
Place the freezer container under some warm water momentarily to help dislodge the frozen bisque if need be. Next, place the frozen soup in a pot and cook it on low to medium temperature to melt and then begin reheating.
Alternatively, you could freeze it in smaller portions and reheat it in the microwave for work or school lunches! Open the container and set the lid aside (no metal in the microwave!), place a folded piece of paper towel on top to avoid splatters, and microwave it on the reheat setting until it's steaming and heated through.
More Soup Recipes
I have many more soup recipes for you to try. Enjoy!
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter (we used unsalted)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 slices bacon (proscuitto, or ham, minced)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 28-oz can peeled tomatoes ((with liquid))
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream (or less if desired)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more if you are using unsalted homemade broth)
- pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5–6 minutes or until it starts to get soft.
- Add the bacon (or other meat) and the garlic and stir for another minute or two or until the meat gets crisp.
- Add the flour and stir vigorously for 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
- Throw in the herbs and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove the herbs and puree the soup either in a blender (in batches) or with a handheld immersion blender (if you like to make soups this is a great tool to have by the way!)
- Stir in the desired amount of heavy cream and salt & pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- You may need to adjust the amount of salt depending on whether you used canned tomatoes (try to avoid varieties with added salt and sugar!) or fresh and also what type of broth you use (homemade, canned, or low-sodium canned). As with any recipe, it's best to start light on the salt and adjust to taste. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.
Irene P says
Delicious and very easy. Next time I’m going to use fresh basil in place of the thyme.
Irene says
I don’t have whole wheat flour. Can I use all purpose instead
100 Days Admin says
Hi Irene, yes, you can use all purpose, however, it won't follow Lisa's "real food" rules. - Nicole
Linda Sutter says
Perennial favorite at our house! When I’m freezing a lot, I don’t add the cream until it’s thawed and reheated-one or two servings at a time! Faster, easier reheating and seems freshly finished when I add it!
100 Days Admin says
That's a great idea, too! Glad to hear you enjoy it. - Nicole
Josh says
What is considered a serving size? I’m trying to figure it out but having a hard time.
Marla says
Super easy, very delicious! We paired it with "The Best Whole Wheat Biscuits"!
Amber says
Does the dairy separate, I’ve always heard freezing dairy in soup doesn’t work?
100 Days Admin says
This soup freezes well. Just make sure to stir when you reheat it. - Nicole
Carly says
Hi! If I make this vegetarian would you suggest adding more butter in place of the bacon? If so, how much? Thanks!
Lisa says
Yes, that would work! I've heard it turns out great as a vegetarian recipe :)
Katie says
Love this soup! Can you tell me what the nutritional value is for it? I can’t find it in your cookbook or online.
Sharon mathews says
I’m interested in that as well!
100 Days Admin says
Hi! Lisa doesn't provide calorie counts or nutritional information for her recipes. Here's a post explaining why. - Nicole
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/dont-read-nutrition-facts-labels/
Karee says
Can it be frozen with the noodles, or is it best to add noodles separate the morning of. Thanks!
100 Days Admin says
I would definitely recommend not adding the noodles in when you freeze it, it just won't hold up. - Nicole
Rhonda Stephens says
an easy way to find nutritional info on any recipe is to put it a nutrition tracker like "my fitness pal" (That is the one I use)
Laura says
How long could this soup be frozen?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. Soups freeze well for up to three months.
Amanda says
I am about to start simmering soup and realized I didn’t minced ge garlic - left it whole :( is this okay?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. Sorry, we can rarely reply to recipe questions in real time. How did it turn out?
Becky says
Can you tell me approximately how many fresh tomatoes you used in your recipe? Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. Lisa used a 28oz can of peeled tomatoes. She has not made it with fresh.
Lana says
Do you mince the garlic?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Yes. :)
Kendra says
This soup is awesome. My husband hates tomato soup but he loves this and my daughter loves it too!
Mark Love says
Great recipe as is. I wanted lower fat.so I left out the cream and butter. I like to add mushrooms and butternut squash. I also drink it cold for breakfast. I add a scoop of unflavored protein powder for an after workout drink. Reduce down for pasta sauce. This is a staple in my house. Great as is or as a good starting point for modifications. Thanks for the inspiration.
Jill says
I used coconut milk as we are non dairy and almond flour as we are gluten free. Still amazing.
Jodi Doeden says
Thank you for sharing a gf suggestion. Did you use 1 for 1 flor ti almond flour?