Creamy Tomato Soup

It always starts with the smell, doesn’t it? Late afternoon grabs hold of you – crisp wind, the sort of light that presses golden through the blinds – and suddenly you’re thinking about soup… tomato, thick with cream, alive with garlic and a good salted broth that hums in your nose before it even hits your tongue. This creamy tomato soup isn’t fancy – I mean, not in the show-off way – but it’s something else entirely: soft, savory, a little nostalgic. It reminds me of afternoons in my mother’s kitchen with stock pots simmering and Radio 3 playing in the background. I’ve made it dozens of times since, sometimes adjusting—adding a whisper of chili, or a few basil leaves torn by hand—but it’s always this one, this base recipe, that feeds some spot deep inside. Especially in October.

Why You’ll Crave It

• It’s comforting in such a grounded way—creamy, just a bit tangy, and full of depth from the roasted tomatoes
• Comes together in under an hour, including the roasting (which, I promise, is mostly hands-off)
• Uses mostly pantry staples—you probably already have almost everything in your kitchen
• Perfect canvas for twists—swirl a little pesto on top or crumble in some goat cheese
• Pairs like magic with grilled cheese (or even just buttered toast, if we’re being real)

The first time I made this, I ate it standing over the stove, ladle in one hand, bread in the other, and forgot to call my friend back for two hours.

What You’ll Need

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes: halved if large, cherry ones can stay whole—but make sure they’re juicy and red
• 1 medium yellow onion: peeled and cut into thick slices
• 4 cloves garlic: left in their skins for roasting, it mellows them beautifully
• 2 tablespoons olive oil: good stuff if you’ve got it—it layers richness over the vegetables
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth: I like low-sodium so I can salt to taste at the end
• ½ teaspoon salt: plus more to finish—it depends on the broth
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper: freshly ground if possible
• ½ cup heavy cream: cold from the fridge, added just at the end—it brings everything together
• Optional: small handful of fresh basil or a pinch of sugar if your tomatoes were a little tart

Easy How-To

Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the tomatoes, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves in olive oil and scatter them onto a baking tray. Roast for about 30-35 minutes, until everything is soft and caramelized at the edges. The tomatoes should be a bit collapsed and sweet-smelling—you’ll know when it’s right.

Squeeze and blend

Let everything cool just enough to touch. Then squeeze the garlic from their skins (they’ll slip out easily, soft like butter) and transfer all the roasted bits into a blender. Add the broth, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth—thick but pourable—adding a splash of broth if needed.

Warm and swirl in the cream

Pour the soup into a pot and place it on medium heat. Stir gently, just until steaming. Then turn off the heat and swirl in your cream. Watch it turn this beautiful dusky rose color. Taste, adjust—maybe it needs a pinch more salt, maybe you’ll want that basil here.

Good to Know

• If your tomatoes are a bit pale (you know how some out-of-season ones can be), add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste before blending
• Stick blenders work great too, just go slow so it doesn’t splatter hot soup all over your stovetop—voice of experience here…
• You can freeze it, but leave out the cream until you reheat later

Serving Ideas

• Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, of course—but try focaccia or a slab of crusty sourdough rubbed with garlic too
• Add a swirl of pesto and scatter toasted pine nuts over the top for a more dressed-up feel

Top Tricks

• Roasting the garlic in its skin prevents bitterness—don’t skip this tiny trick, it makes the soup taste soft and rich
• Blend the soup while it’s still warm for the creamiest result—but never piping hot, or it can burst the lid (again, hard lesson)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh?

Yes, absolutely. A 28-ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes works well. You can skip the roasting if you’d like, but warming them in a pan with the onion and garlic for 10 minutes first adds great flavor.

Can I make this soup vegan?

You can. Swap the heavy cream for a rich plant-based milk—coconut cream is lovely if you don’t mind the subtle flavor. Cashew cream works especially well too.

What if I want it spicier?

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes when roasting the veggies or a diced chili in the blender. Just taste as you go—it heats up fast.

How long does it keep?

It will stay good in the fridge for about 4 days. Freezing’s fine too, like I mentioned—just wait to stir in the cream until you reheat so it stays silky.