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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.
Sarah says
Thanks for this recipe! I have made something similar, but instead of cream, I add cooked chick peas/garbanzo beans prior to puree step and it is delicious! Thick and creamy without the cream, and my three kids love it. I also add a dollop of pesto just before serving and it is delicious! Thanks!
Jill says
Hi Sarah. How much of the chick peas do you add? My husband is dairy free and so I'd like to try your suggestion so he can enjoy this. Thanks. Jill
Holly says
Yummmmmm! This is my favorite soup and will def be trying this recipe out. Question, do you have a post on how to can? Do i need to do anything further than buy the jars and fill them up? Please explain...
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Holly. Here is some info on canning...https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/05/10/how-to-can-some-jam-a-simple-method-without-pectin/. Jill
Mary says
Could I subsitute a box of Pomi strained tomatoes for the diced/fresh tomatoes?
I really enjoy your website!
Cheers,
Mary
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Mary. You could give it a try, I would just make sure there's enough juice with them. Jill
Melissa Dixon says
Kelly, I usually substitute bacon by thinly slicing tempeh and cooking it in a skillet with olive oil and tamari or Bragg's liquid aminos. It's especially good with collard greens but also any soups that call for bacon. I have even used Liquid Smoke to give it more of a bacon flavor.
Kelly says
Love this idea but I am a veghead. Is there anything I can sub for the bacon or is it needed at all?
Thanks!
Lynette Strickland says
Kelly, I made a vegan version of this tonight that turned out great! I used no chicken broth for the broth and also added 2 t. of No Beef broth (Better Than Bouillon brand) to give it a meaty taste.
100 Days Admin says
Kelly, you can omit the bacon and it will still be good. - Nicole
Heather says
Is the bacon already cooked or raw when adding it??
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Heather. It's uncooked. Jill
Emily says
Hey folks! For those having trouble finding BPA-free cans (I've NEVER seen them, and don't use canned tomatoes because of this, since the acids really leach out the BPA), the boxed brand Pomi is excellent, and you never get that canned taste.
Lynette Strickland says
You're right, Emily...Pomi is great!
Sheri says
I made this soup for the first time this past week. I'd seen the recipe a few times over the summer, but we had a record hot summer and we finally had a nice fall day that was begging for a soup dinner. Can I just way how much we LOVE IT! Especially for the time required. I was able to make it after work and still have dinner on the table at a reasonable time. I used organic San Marzano tomatoes (which were surpringly less expensive than the non-organic San Marzano at our local grocery store)and the flavor was exceptional! Sorry for the long post, I don't normally comment on things, but when we were eating leftover soup for dinner tonight, the 2 year old told me that it was her favorite food. Thank you so much for your website and blog and helping my family enjoy eating healthier. :-)
Jess says
Wow!
This soup is to die for!
Barbara says
If I may I'd like to pass along an easy Tomato Bisque that is also dairy free. When making spagheti sauce, double the recipe and to 3 cups of the sauce add 1 cup organic vegetable or chicken broth, 1/2 tsp. dried basil and 8 ozs. organic silken tofu, whir in a blender until pureed. I put this in the refrigerator. It can be served as a cold soup or heated as needed.
Tami G says
Just made this and it is delicious! I did not remove the skin or seeds, I put the whole tomatoes in the Vitamix with some of the broth and pureed them all. I also used arrowroot powder and found a substitution online that said 1 teaspoon of arrowroot = 1 tablespoon of flour.
sabrna says
Hi! Im just wondering if canned tomatoes, or anything canned, is considered real food?
Thanks!
sadie s says
canning is just a form of preserving. if you look at the ingredients on a can of tomatoes, you will see that it just lists tomatoes, maybe tomato juice and salt. Some canned goods are in liquid that wouldn't pass the "real food" test, so you just have to read the labels.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Sabrina. Canned products are not ideal, but, I know sometimes they are more convenient. If you do have to use them, I would try and find ones that are in cans that are BPA free. Jill
Katie says
I wasn't able to can any tomatoes this year due to a difficult pregnancy. Do you know any brands of caned tomatoes without BPA? I have seen some in paper cartons...but they are very expensive. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Katie. Yes, I believe the Muir Glen brand is BPA free. And, yes, the Pomi in the box are great too, but, I agree, are not cheap. Jill
Laura J says
I usually try to freeze tomotatoes but didn't this year purely due to disorganization.
The paper cartons are lined with some for m of plasic and even the cans without BPA are generally using BPS as a substitute. (For tomatoes at least, not for canned beans as much -- it's wortht contacting the manufacturer to find out.) Can you find them in jars at your favourite HFS?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Laura. Thanks for sharing the information. No, I have not really looked for them in jars, but, might be something worth looking into. Jill
Grazi C. says
Wondering if you take the seeds out of the tomatoes... I am planning on using fresh ones from my garden. BTW, THANK YOU for changing my life, your experience is SO valuable to me and has given me LOTS of inspiration!
Elly says
I just made this with tomatoes from my friend's garden and I wondered the same thing about the seeds. I did not take them out, but after I used my blender, I used a mesh strainer to get the seeds out. Worked perfect and I just tasted it - DELICIOUS!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Grazi. People have reported doing it both ways, but, I usually take the seeds out. So glad you are enjoying the blog and it's made such an impact on your life. Thanks for reading. Jill
Sarah says
Now, how to make this delicious-sounding recipe dairy-free? Just stick to tomato minus the bisque? :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Sarah. Yes, I guess so. Maybe you could try almond, rice milk or coconut milk? Not sure they would be thick and rich enough though. Sorry I can't offer a better suggestion. Jill
Laura J says
Try adding some oats -- they become thick and creamy when blended. It won't have the same rich "mouth feel" as cream, but still yummy.
Kate says
DELICIOUS and my daughter requested it for school! Thanks! Do you freeze it in ziplocs?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kate. I do BPA free containers. Glad she enjoyed it. Jill
Cecile says
I cook everything at home, and lots of soups, but this one was the biggest success, even with my very picky little one! Thanks!
Susan says
What are your recommendations for freezing? Do you freeze with the cream? How long can it be frozen for?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Susan. Yes, you can freeze the finished product. It should last a few months. Jill
Jackie says
How long do you expect this to stay good in the freezer? Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
It should stay for a few months generally. Jill
Gigi says
I am excited to try this recipe! I want to make this for my boys' lunches, but what did you freeze it in and how do you thaw it out for their lunches?
Lisa says
I freeze it in these freezer-safe jars (leaving room at the top for the liquid to expand): http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Mason-Jars-Wide-Mouth-Freeze/dp/B001DIZ1NO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329846095&sr=8-2-fkmr0 then I take it out the night before school and let it defrost in the fridge. Then the morning of school I heat it up on the stove and add it to her thermos. It also helps to put boiling water in the thermos first so it can "warm up" before adding the soup.
Gwen M says
I wonder if you could pressure-can this? I'd guess you'd have to leave out the cream, maybe? Are you opposed to home pressure-canning as well? I feel that it's better in the long run for the environment because the initial output of energy to can is less than the long-term use of the freezer, plus your precious home made food is safe from power outages. Home pressure canning does use plenty of heat, but the soup has been heated anyway during cooking, so I don't see how it could further damage the nutritional value of the veggies. I also think that it'd be easier to reheat at school if it was canned and not frozen. I bought a pressure canner last year but am new to using it and am still figuring it all out. Thoughts?
Lisa says
I have never pressure canned myself so I am sorry I cannot help with this one!
Lori B. says
Keep up the seasonal recipe posts!!!! A huge time & money saver for me!!!! Really helpful because I am here in Atlanta!
Lori B. says
Brilliant idea now that tomatoes are crazy in season and we are getting ready to start school in 2 weeks! My chest freezer was one of the best purchases I ever made. I just used some chicken in there that was at least 15 months old. Tasted just great!!! There is a HUGE difference between a chest freezer/"deep" freeze over your usual frost free freezer that is attached to your refrigerator. No freezer burn on my food! :)
Rachel says
For people looking for an alternative thickener, tomato paste also works well. As this will significantly increase the tomato flavor, adjust seasoning if desired.
Gale M says
Did you add the cream before freezing the Tomato Bisque? Or, did you heat the previously frozen bisque and then add the cream?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Gale - I cook the whole thing and then freeze it. Jill
Leslie says
I am on a low carb diet, so I wondered about substitutions for the whole wheat flour as well. Is it just being used as a thickener?
If so, I was wondering about using Arrowroot powder and how it converts?
Thanks for the recipe!
Looks delicious!
Leslie
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Leslie. I'm sure you could try the arrowroot powder, but, I'm not sure of the conversion. There are many websites that might be able to help you out. Jill
Selidji Laleye says
Why is bacon considered real food???? I thought it was really processed. Please explain!
Courtney says
You can get uncured bacon without the nitrates added to it and it's a real food. We get bacon from Earth Fare or at our farmers market from grateful growers pork and they dont add anything to it.
Lisa says
Meat is considered real food if it's humanely raised, properly fed, and local: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/03/25/mini-pledge-week-3-meat/
Sus says
Just wondering if I could use almond flour or garbanzo bean flour or something similar in this recipe because I don't use wheat products?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Susan - You could certainly give it a try. I would probably try the almond flour. Jill
Amanda says
OH MY HOLEY MOLEY!!! This is a REALLY GOOD recipe!! I tasted it even before adding the cream and it's awesome (I even left out the meat because I didn't want to open a whole bag of bacon and had no ham and no proscuitto for me - pregnant)
If you are wondering if it's good, then stop... It's GREAT! (and I'm a picky eater)
Sierra says
Do your girls just eat them cold for their lunch?
100 Days Admin says
Pack them in a thermos and it usually stays warm. - Nicole
sgg says
Shelly, If you're looking for GF flour try using Jules Gluten Free Flour. She also has tons of info & recipes on her FB page. Enjoy.
Miki says
that was easy to find... it's BPA
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/12/01/7-foods-should-never-eat/
Miki says
@Shelly, you can use a smaller amount of corn starch, it's just being used as a thickening agent :)
This looks AMAZING!!! I can't wait to try it!!
I do have to say I'm a little surprised to hear you say you can used canned tomatoes. I wish I knew where the article was but it was about particular things that certain people (I think all doctors), based on their specialty would never eat and canned tomatoes was one of the. The acid and the can create something together. Sorry I don't have my facts on straight... I'm going to look for that article right now :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Miki. Thanks for passing that along. You'll see one reader noted that Muir Glen and Eden Organic are now using cans not lined with BPA. And, of course, you can always just use fresh tomatoes. Jill
Sarah Blue says
Hey Miki,
I just wanted to say, that I work for two doctors, and they are the worst about their food! They never, ever cook, and if they do it's some pre-cooked stuff they throw together.
I think that in theory doctors should be more concerned about their health than anyone else, but from what I know of them, they are the worst eaters.
Shelly says
This looks delicious, but I need to adapt it to gluten free. I wonder if a gf flour could work instead of the whole wheat. Tomato soup was my favorite before this journey, and this looks delicious!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Shelly. I don't see why you couldn't substitute a gluten free flour. Let us know how it works out. Jill
Ashley says
This was awesome! I've never made anything like this before! I even used fresh tomatoes! I had to bake them in the oven for a few minutes to get the skins off, because I didn't have a big enough pan to boil them in. I also didn't have any cream so I just substituted milk and butter for it. I didn't have the single seasonings it called for so I just added Italian seasoning. My 2 year old really enjoyed! I thought it was really good too!
Jennifer says
This recipe is just fine without the bacon and butter and really only needs just a splash or two of heavy cream. I use fresh organic roma tomatoes and cook them first in olive oil and water, then add fresh garlic and italian seasonings and chicken broth (no need to take skins off the tomatoes) and then use the hand held emulsion blender and it's a delicous healthy soup.
I throw in white beans and put it in my daugther's thermos for lunch at school. Or you could put pasta in it.
andrea says
Can you leave out the meat? I'm a vegetarian...never had a tomato bisque with ham/bacon in it actually, but curious if it would affect the outcome much. Anyone else omit it? Thnx.
100 Days of Real Food says
The flavor will be slightly different, but the soup will still work without it!
ann says
Sorry. Continue. I will blanch fresh tomatoes and cut them for the recipe above. I just noticed it says you could do that as an option.
ann says
I strongly urge anyone and everyone to get rid of canned goods all together. I haven't bought or used a can in around 2 years. It feels great! I use fresh and frozen produce instead.
I have learned many ways to cook everything from scratch. I make my own cream of chicken and mushroom soup that some recipes call for. I plan on making this recipe. I will blanch tomatoes and cut them
Melissa says
I also have not purchased can goods in a very long time. Unfortunately, a power outage made me rethink all of the freezer items. I just lost approximately $800 worth of meats, veggies, and freezer meals. :(
Jennifer Busick says
If you can document the loss, you can claim it on your homeowner's insurance -- something a lot of us in Alabama learned after we went through multiple tornadoes and power outages...
Angy says
Yum, can't wait to try this... the one good thing about canning is the veggies are canned at the peak of freshness - can't say anything about the BPA issue though - need to research that but I do know I have never found frozen tomatoes - so it will either be fresh or canned whichever I can find so I can make this delectable soup! thanks for sharing your recipe - much better for me when I don't have to come up with a recipe myself - just tweak it for my tastes!
Marta says
This sounds yummy!
BTW, what is your view on using canned veggies? I recently becamed concerned with BPA in cans, but have hard time adjusting to not using them!
100 Days of Real Food says
BPA or not Michael Pollan (whose book inspired us to do all of this) says that "freezing (unlike canning) does not significantly diminish the nutritional value of produce" so we usually try to buy frozen veggies over canned if possible.
Danielle says
Marta - there are companies that use cans without BPA lining. Muir Glen is now using non BPA cans for their tomatoes, along with Eden Organic. BPA is bad and I have removed 99% of plastic from my home, it's just amazing where else you find this estrogen mimicking chemical (definitely don't want to be giving that to my young daughter.)