Tomato Bisque
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This comforting, hearty, big-batch Tomato Bisque soup recipe is full of nutrition and rich flavor. I’ve made (and frozen) this soup for my own family well over 100 times over the years! I can assure you it will win over kids and adults alike, especially with homemade croutons on top and a grilled cheese on the side for dipping.
About This Recipe
Anyone a big fan of Panera’s Creamy Tomato Soup? My family and friends tell me this recipe is better.
That’s a bold claim, I know. It began with this recipe from Food & Wine. But, then I added a few healthier spins to it–ones that did not sacrifice taste in any way I assure you.
The result has been a huge home run with my entire family, many of our friends, and our Thriving Home readers.
I’m talking picky little kids and foodie adults enjoy this soup. There are few recipes in my repertoire that I can honestly say that about.
P.S. A few more vegetarian soups you might like are our Fighter Soup, Vegetarian Tortilla Soup, and Coconut Curry Soup.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find that this tomato soup recipe packs in so many fresh, interesting flavors but all the ingredients are easy to find. I have these ingredients on hand at all times.
Keep these tips in mind as you buy or prepare the ingredients:
Garlic – To save time, buy pre-minced garlic. I do this in most of our soups like our Instant Pot Vegetable Soup or our Cheeseburger Soup.
Half and half – Dairy-free sub: I’ve tested with plain almond milk and it works.
Butter – Dairy-free sub: I’ve tested with ghee or omitting the butter and it works.
Chicken Stock or Broth – Did you know you can make your own chicken broth?
Whole wheat flour – Substitute all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour. Or you can omit the flour completely and just cook the soup with the lid off so it reduces down more.
Sugar – I used unrefined raw sugar or coconut sugar for a little healthier option.
Tips for Success
- I wrote this recipe for a crowd or for your family to have enough to freeze for later. If you want just enough for one family meal, just simply cut it in half.
- Seasoning all along the way is key to deep flavor. Season with salt and pepper when you saute the veggies, season again when you add the liquids, and finally season at the end after tasting. But, don’t get too heavy-handed at the get-go!
- We also loved the kicked-up addition of the hot sauce at the end. I just left it out of my kids’ bowls, since they are more sensitive to heat.
How to Make Tomato Bisque
While this tomato soup recipe does require a few steps, the good news is that it’s not difficult and you’ll only use one pot. Find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Saute the Aromatics
Heat the oil in a large stock pot and saute the onion, carrots, and celery (known as the “aromatics”–because they make your kitchen smell AMAZING and build flavor as they cook). You’ll season during this step with garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
To thicken the soup some, add in some flour and cook for a minute or two. (For gluten-free version, just use gluten-free all-purpose flour or completely omit this ingredient and either cook the soup without a lid or use 1-2 cups less chicken broth.)
Add More Ingredients & Cook
Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan for any browned bits (these add flavor).
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover partially. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very tender, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally.
Puree the Soup
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot until fairly smooth.
What if I don’t have an immersion blender?
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a large blender.
Please be careful during this step! Don’t fill the blender full.
Cover the lid with a towel and hold securely while blending so the lid doesn’t pop off. Carefully, return the puree to the saucepan.
Finish Off the Bisque
Now’s the time to make this a creamy, perfectly seasoned bisque. Stir in the butter and half and half. (If you want to make this dairy-free, use plain almond milk and either omit the butter or use lactose-free ghee or vegan “butter”.)
Taste and then season the soup with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to your preference. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons, fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil, if desired.
What to Serve with Tomato Soup
- Add a grilled cheese on the side, like our Gourmet Grilled Cheese or serve with some crusty bread from a bakery.
- Top with Homemade Croutons, fresh julienne basil, and fresh Parmesan cheese.
- Want a salad, too? Try our popular Autumn Chopped Salad.
Can You Freeze Tomato Bisque?
Yep, it’s easy and works well to freeze soup recipes like tomato bisque.
I’ve tested and frozen this soup probably well over 100 times. I make it at least twice a month and freeze it in small portions for my kids’ lunches.
Here’s how to freeze it:
To Freeze: Fully cook the soup and allow it to cool completely (you can safely leave it out for 2 hours at room temp). Then dish it out into mason jars (leave 1 inch of a head space!), individual 2-cup Pyrex bowls with lids, or into reusable freezer bags. Seal and freeze.
To Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator or using the defrost setting in the microwave. Warm in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally (or in the microwave in 30 second increments).
Recipe FAQs
Fair question. A bisque is historically a French soup that uses shellfish to create a broth and to thicken the soup. However, a modern twist on bisque is a thicker, pureed vegetable soup with cream in it. Tomato Bisque falls into this modern category. Unlike tomato soup, it is thicker and includes cream or half and half.
You bet! Tomato bisque can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop when ready to serve. Or use our freezing instructions in the blog post above or recipe card below.
Yes! It’s easy and works well to freeze tomato bisque. Fully cook and cool the soup and freeze in small portions for a grab-and-go lunch down the road.
If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, use plain almond milk and either omit the butter or use lactose-free ghee or vegan “butter”.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
Here are some other popular and healthy soup recipes you’re sure to love!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Tomato Bisque
This comforting, hearty, big-batch tomato bisque is full of nutrition and rich flavor. It will win over kids and adults alike! Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups sliced celery stalks
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour* (sub: all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour)
- 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken stock or broth (or vegetarian broth)
- 2 (28-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, juices and all
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter (dairy-free sub: lactose-free ghee or vegan butter)
- 3/4 – 1 cup half and half (dairy-free sub: plain almond milk)
- Optional toppings: Hot sauce, homemade croutons, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh julienned basil
*You can omit the flour. Just cook the soup without a lid a little longer so it reduces down and thickens up a little.
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Saute Aromatics: In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Then, add the red pepper flakes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until the vegetables are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30-60 seconds more.
- Cook Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until flour is fully incorporated.
- Add More Ingredients: Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, stirring and scrapping the bottom of the pan for any browned bits (these add flavor).
- Cook Soup: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover partially with the lid*. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very tender, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally.
- Blend Soup: Remove from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot until fairly smooth. (Or, you can transfer the soup in batches to a large blender. Please be careful during this step! Don’t fill the blender full. Cover the lid with a towel and hold securely while blending so the lid doesn’t pop off. Carefully, return the puree to the pot.)
- Finish Off: Stir in the butter and half and half. Taste and then adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or hot sauce to your preference.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons, fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil, if desired.
Freeze For Later: Full cook and fully cool the soup. Freeze in a freezer container or bag (or in individual servings in mason jars, leaving at least 1 inch of head space) and seal well.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator or using the defrost setting in the microwave. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Notes/Tips
- Gluten-free version: You have two options: 1) Omit the flour. Then, cook the soup with the lid off, so it reduces more. You may choose to cook it 5 minutes longer, as well. 2) Use gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the wheat flour. Also, use gluten-free croutons for the topping or omit that ingredient.
- Dairy-free version: Use vegan butter or lactose-free ghee in place of the butter. Use plain almond or oat milk in place of the half and half. Omit Parmesan cheese as a topping. (Some readers use nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan cheese.)
- I wrote this recipe for a crowd or for your family to have enough to freeze for later. If you want just enough for one family meal, just simply cut it in half.
- Seasoning all along the way is key to deep flavor. Season with salt and pepper when you saute the veggies, season again when you add the liquids, and finally season at the end after tasting. But, don’t get too heavy-handed at the get-go!
- We also loved the kicked-up addition of the hot sauce at the end. I just left it out of my kids’ bowls, since they are more sensitive to heat.
Question about the volume of broth and diced tomatoes—256-ounces (8 quarts) broth + 46-ounces (2-28oz cans) diced tomatoes? I noticed the volume is different for your Instant Pot version, half the broth, but both seem to be a lot, especially the quantity of diced tomatoes so wanted to ask. Thank you
Hi Susan. The recipe calls for 8 cups (2 quarts) of broth. It does make a lot, but you are right that 8 quarts would be far too many for one recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Great recipe. Quick, easy and flavourful.
So glad you enjoyed it Danny! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
I absolutely LOVE this soup! It freezes beautifully, reheats perfectly, and everyone I have ever served it to raves about it. My kids are eating a ton of vegetables (haha!) and it is worthy of our freezer meal swap. And that is saying a lot!
Wow Kate! Thank you for the kind words. It is always good to hear when recipes are worthy of the freezer meal swap! Having been in a freezer club for 7 years, I know what high praise that is. 🙂
Wonderful recipe!! Used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half because that’s what I had and it worked delightfully! Served with grilled cheese sandwiches! This will get added to the rotation for sure!
I bet the whipping cream made it wonderfully creamy! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Erin. Glad you’ve found a recipe to add to your regular rotation.
This is SO good! I put two bags in the freezer for later use, can’t wait to have this meal ready to go this winter.
Congrats on helping your future self! Thank you for leaving a review Caroline.
I made this recently. It was so incredibly easy to make and was by far, the best tomato bisque I have ever had. It made so much that I was able to give some to family members who also loved it. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks
So glad you and your family loved this recipe Chris. It is definitely one of our reader favorites!
Great flavor, nice and creamer. I would prefer a little thicker. I would add more tomato paste next time, less cream.
Thanks Lesli. We appreciate you leaving a review.
Excellent recipe! My husband, who doesn’t like soup, really enjoyed it. I used homemade broth (makes all the difference, I think), evaporated milk, and did half the sugar.
Great tips Becky! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
This is SOOOO Delicious !!! Thank You!!!
This is a definite reader favorite. Thanks for leaving a review Martha.
My kids keep asking me to make this again! I serve it with sourdough grilled cheese! So good!
Yay for kids loving something healthy! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Kathryn.
Paired with grilled cheese on sour dough makes the perfect meal! My family loves it. I freeze into lunch type portions.
Yes! Grilled cheese and tomato soup are so good! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Kristin.
I’m excited to make this! I’ll come back and update my review/stars after I actually make it. Question: is whole wheat actually the preferred option over all purpose flour for best taste? I have both. THANKS!
I just default to using whole wheat flour when it doesn’t matter because it’s more nutritious. I’ve found that whole wheat, white whole wheat, all purpose, and gluten-free flours all work in this soup! I don’t notice a taste difference…and I’ve made this over 100x.
Rich and creamy even though I used half-and-half because I didn’t have heavy cream. Only had half the chicken stock so substituted beef broth for the other half. Still wonderful. I’ll continue to tweak each time I make it.
Hi Brian. Good to know the substitutions that worked for you!