Tomato Soup With Canned Tomatoes
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.Super creamy, savory, and packed with flavor, my tomato soup with canned tomatoes is a total comfort food! Ideal for anyone looking for a budget-friendly, simple meal that needs only 10 minutes of prep time, I promise this is the easiest homemade tomato soup you’ll ever make! My recipe is sure to become a family favorite in no time.
If you’re wondering, can you make tomato soup out of diced tomatoes in a can? Yes! I make this homemade tomato soup with canned tomatoes all the time. It’s one of the best ways I’ve found to make a delicious soup from scratch. Using canned tomatoes allows me to cut down on prep time while packing in more flavor.
Plus, using canned tomatoes means I can enjoy this comforting soup year-round. In my family, we love a warm bowl of tomato soup paired with my sourdough grilled cheese. It is one of my kids’ favorite meals and mine as well.
If you’re a tomato soup lover, be sure to check out my easy vegan tomato soup and Instant Pot tomato soup, and if you’re looking for more comforting soup recipes, my list of 41 easy vegan soup recipes has you covered!
🌟 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe
My quick tomato soup recipe with canned tomatoes is fantastic for busy weeknights. I use inexpensive, easy-to-find pantry staples that you likely already have on hand and it’s ready in just about 40 minutes. The recipe requires no peeling, chopping, or seeding – I just open the can and pour everything in. It’s a one-pot meal that makes for easy clean-up too!
Plus, my version always turns out incredibly flavorful. Canned tomatoes are the star ingredient here, processed at their peak ripeness, guaranteeing consistent quality and taste, even when it’s not tomato season.
I also love all of the health benefits. Not only is my recipe naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, but it’s also low in fat and calories. One serving has just 31 calories and 2 grams of fat. Plus, tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K (source).
What makes my recipe even better is how easy it is to customize! I can adjust the flavors by adding herbs, spices, or even a splash of cream, which means it pairs with just about anything. You can serve it as a light lunch with crackers, or enjoy it as a simple dinner with a salad or sandwich.
Finally, it’s great for meal prep. It stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, so I can always have a quick and healthy meal on hand to serve my family.
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
Making tomato soup from canned tomatoes requires just four main ingredients, plus salt and pepper. You can find everything you need at your local grocery store. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact measurements and nutrition info.
Diced Onion: Both yellow and white onions can be used. I typically use yellow onion for a more pungent flavor.
Canned Diced Tomatoes: I like to make my tomato soup from diced tomatoes that haven’t been seasoned. However, feel free to use any type of seasoned or unseasoned canned whole peeled, diced, or crushed tomatoes you have on hand.
Vegetable Stock: Veggie stock is used to form the base of the soup. You could also use vegan chicken broth or water.
Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the onions, I like to use extra-virgin olive oil for the added flavor. Vegan butter would also work.
Salt & Black Pepper: Kosher salt and black pepper make the soup. I add them at the very end to develop the flavor.
👩🏽🍳 How To Make Tomato Soup With Canned Tomatoes
I’m going to teach you how to make tomato soup with canned diced tomatoes in just a few simple steps. You’re going to be amazed at how delicious it turns out! Check out my video below to see the entire process in action.
Saute Onions: To begin, I heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Then I add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and slightly golden brown. You can also make the soup in a Dutch oven.
Add Tomatoes & Broth: After cooking the onions, I add the canned diced tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot and mix to combine.
Cook: With everything in the pot, I bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover it with a lid. I let the soup cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.
Cool & Blend: When done, I remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Then I transfer it to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender for this step.
Season & Serve: Once blended, I give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Then I serve it immediately or let it cool and store it for meal prep.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip when making this recipe for tomato soup with canned tomatoes is to use high-quality tomatoes. I love and recommend San Marzano tomatoes, known for their rich depth of flavor and subtly sweet taste, which can really elevate your soup to a restaurant-quality dish. Canned tomatoes are already fairly inexpensive, so spending a little extra, even a dollar or so, on these tomatoes is well worth it to boost the flavor and make a big difference in the final outcome.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Tomatoes To Avoid: Tomato sauce and tomato puree are too thin and watery. I also don’t recommend using stewed tomatoes as they often contain added sweeteners. Instead, stick to making your tomato soup with canned diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or whole peeled tomatoes.
- Don’t Drain The Tomatoes: When I make this soup, I always use both the tomatoes and the liquid from the can. This liquid is rich in flavor and helps create a more robust and full-bodied soup.
- Pinch Of Sugar: Sometimes canned tomatoes can be overly acidic, so I add a teaspoon of sugar or a pinch of baking soda when making homemade tomato soup using canned tomatoes. It’s an easy way to balance the acidity.
- Season At The End: It’s very important not to skip the salt and pepper, but resist the urge to season the soup as it simmers! As the flavors meld during cooking, the soup becomes more concentrated, so seasoning too early can lead to salty soup.
- Blend Soup Safely: When blending hot soup, I always let it cool for a minute and blend in batches if I’m using a smaller blender. I never fill the blender more than halfway, slightly loosen the lid to let steam escape, and hold it down with a kitchen towel to prevent splatters. Starting at a low speed also helps prevent accidents with the hot liquid.
- Adjust The Thickness: After blending, your soup may be thicker or thinner than desired. If it’s too thick, I simply add more vegetable broth or water in small increments until I reach the right consistency. If the soup is too thin, I let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce and thicken.
📖 Variations
With Fresh Tomatoes: Instead of making my easy tomato soup recipe with canned diced tomatoes, try using fresh ones. You’ll need about 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes and you can leave the skins on if you have a powerful blender. Otherwise, I recommend peeling your tomatoes.
Cream Of Tomato Soup: For a super creamy soup like tomato bisque, once the soup has been blended I add some vegan heavy cream, coconut cream, unsweetened oat milk, or full-fat coconut milk. If you’re not vegan you can use regular whole milk or regular heavy cream.
Make It Spicy: If I want to spice the soup up I will add some Sriracha, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes. For milder spice, try green chiles or salsa.
Roasted Tomato Soup: Instead of using canned tomatoes, try using roasted tomatoes! First, I roast the tomatoes in the oven and then follow the rest of the steps of the recipe. You could also try using a can of fire roasted tomatoes.
Tomato Vegetable Soup: My tomato soup using canned diced tomatoes makes a fantastic base for vegetable soup. Carrots, celery, red bell pepper, butternut squash, baby spinach, or any other leafy greens are all wonderful additions. You can add them in as small dice or just blend them into the soup.
Tomato Basil Soup: If I want a tomato basil soup, I just add some fresh basil leaves or use canned diced tomatoes that are already seasoned with basil.
Add Protein: To make the soup heartier and add some protein, I like to add some white beans like cannellini beans or great northern beans. You can leave them whole or blend them into the soup. Beans are a great way to thicken soups without adding cream.
Oil Free: If you follow an oil-free diet my recipe can easily be customized to be perfect for you! All you have to do is saute the onions with water or veggie broth instead of oil and you’ve got an oil-free 3 ingredient tomato soup recipe.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
My soup makes the perfect light dinner, lunch, or starter to any meal! You can pair it with an array of breads, sandwiches, salads, and sides. These are some of my favorite ways to serve the soup:
With Bread: A warm comforting bowl of soup begs to be paired with crusty bread. For a classic combo, enjoy it with my buckwheat sourdough bread, vegan garlic bread, biscuits without baking powder, or low calorie biscuits. It’s also fantastic with my vegan bruschetta and avocado toast.
With Salads: Serve it with a fresh salad like my keto Greek salad, tomato avocado cucumber salad, or roasted cauliflower salad. For something lighter, toss some mixed greens with my vegan Italian dressing or avocado green goddess dressing.
With Sandwiches: Nothing beats the classic combination of creamy tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwiches like my grilled cheese sandwich with pickles, garlic bread grilled cheese, or goat cheese grilled cheese. it’s equally as good with my vegan hummus avocado wrap and cheesy veggie panini.
With Toppings & Mix-Ins: If you’re serving the soup as a starter, consider elevating it with a dollop of sour cream or a drizzle of coconut cream, olive oil, basil oil, or chili oil. I love garnishing it with fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, or oregano, along with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese. For added texture, try topping it with homemade croutons, pumpkin seeds, toasted nuts, or even pretzels or crackers for a satisfying crunch!
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Fridge: Once completely cooked, I transfer the soup to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love making a batch on Sunday to enjoy throughout the week.
Freezer: Tomato soup from canned diced tomatoes freezes beautifully. I store it in a freezer-safe container with a lid, and it will keep for up to 3 months. You can also freeze it in individual portions for easy reheating.
Reheating: To reheat, I microwave the soup in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring between, or warm it on the stovetop in a pot over medium heat. If the soup has thickened, I just add a splash of water or broth to reach the desired consistency. For frozen soup, you can either thaw it overnight in the fridge or reheat it directly from frozen.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use a potato masher or fork to break down the tomatoes. The soup won’t be as smooth, but it will still taste delicious.
My tomato soup with canned tomatoes can turn out too salty if too much salt is added during cooking. If this happens, I add more liquid, like water or unsalted broth, to dilute the salt. Another option is to add a splash of cream or a small amount of sugar to help balance the saltiness. If, after trying these ideas, your soup is still too salty, you can add in more canned tomatoes and re-blend.
Your soup may be watery if you added too much liquid or didn’t let it simmer long enough. To fix watery soup, I let it simmer uncovered to allow excess liquid to evaporate. You can also add a thickener, like a cornstarch slurry.
Soup can burn on the bottom if the heat is too high or it’s not stirred often enough. Cooking at high temperatures can cause ingredients to stick, so I recommend simmering the soup on low heat. I also make sure to stir it regularly to prevent settling and burning, and I use a heavy-bottomed pot to help distribute heat more evenly.
Love this plant based soup recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!
📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
The Easiest Tomato Soup With Canned Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a saucepan, sauté the diced onion for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Next, add the canned diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, mix to combine.
- Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid.
- Cook, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the soup from burning.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a blender to blend until smooth. Alternatively use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, adjust thickness by adding more broth if needed.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with some crusty fresh bread, a sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes or a drizzle of cream or coconut cream.
Notes
- For additional flavor you can also add some minced garlic, dried mixed herbs, fresh oregano or fresh basil to the soup while cooking.
- Store cold soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reduce some the acidity of the soup you can add a tsp of sugar or a pinch of baking soda. Both of these ingredients helps to neutralize the acid from the tomatoes.
- If you’d prefer a creamier soup use vegan butter instead of olive oil when sautéing the onions.
- You can substitute the vegetable broth with water or even vegan chicken broth if preferred.
- Fresh diced tomatoes can be used instead of canned if preferred.
- Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding water after blending until desired thickness is achieved.
Quick, easy and very delicious. Won’t buy condensed tomato soup anymore!
Yay! Thank you Sandy, so glad you liked this!
This tomato soup is so simple and easy to make, and the ingredients are things we always have on hand. This one’s a keeper!
Yay! So happy to hear that Renee, thanks for letting me know!
I love how easy this recipe is! This soup is my favorite along with a grilled cheese sandwich!
Thanks so much Holley! It really does go great with a classic grilled cheese! 🙂
This is a classic tomato soup made with only 3 ingredients. Warm, comforting, and full of robust tomato flavor! Easy and delicious!
Thank you so much Beth! 🙂
Simple ingredients and simple to make, this smooth and creamy tomato soup sounds marvelous.
Thanks Nikki! You will love it!