Easy creamy Tomato Bisque is the perfect comfort food on a chilly day. A savory fusion of tomatoes and aromatic vegetables with the slightest whisper of crushed red pepper heat, blended until smooth and finished with cream and a scatter of crispy croutons. So quick and easy to prepare! You’ll be enjoying a bowl in less than 30 minutes.
You might be surprised to see water instead of broth in this Tomato Bisque recipe, but I promise it makes a better soup. So many delicious soups are made with a broth or stock base, but in this soup, as with Caldo Verde and Albondigas Soup, water in the right quantity allows flavors to shine where broth might compete.
Though it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own, this Tomato Bisque soup pairs well with almost any main dish (we often serve it with my favorite Turkey Meatloaf). At lunch, it’s delicious with a grilled cheese sandwich or, even better, Welsh Rarebit. Or skip the toasted croutons replacing them with grilled cheese ‘croutons’ instead, just a grilled cheese sandwich cut into bite size pieces.
What is Tomato Bisque?
You may think of a seafood stock when you hear the word ‘bisque‘ and though that is the heritage of the term, modern use often refers to a blended soup that includes cream, often red pepper, squash, mushroom and, of course, tomato!
How to Make Tomato Bisque
Step 1: In a large saucepan, cook onion, carrot, celery and garlic in butter and olive oil until tender. Add tomatoes, water and spices. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Step 2: Remove soup from heat and stir in cream; blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a traditional blender (using a towel to cover the pitcher instead of the lid). Return soup to pan and season to taste with salt and pepper, reheat to simmer if needed.
Step 3: Meanwhile make the croutons: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss fresh bread cubes with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season to taste with kosher salt. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
Step 4: Serve soup hot topped with croutons.
Tomato Bisque Recipe Video
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced small
- 1 large carrot diced small and peeled if desired
- 1 large rib celery diced small
- 2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Croutons
- 5 ounces sourdough bread crust removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until sizzling. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and basil. Stir and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- To finish the soup, remove from heat and stir in cream; blend in the pan with an immersion blender or blend in batches in a traditional blender. (Important note: Blending hot liquids in a traditional blender will blow the lid off which will make a mess and could burn you. Instead, use a towel to cover the top of of the pitcher while blending instead of the lid. )
- Return blended soup to pan and season to taste with salt and pepper; reheat to simmer if needed.
- Meanwhile make the croutons: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Add bread cubes to a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Spread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and season to taste with kosher salt. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Serve soup hot topped with croutons.
This was delicious and I paired with a fontina and cheddar grilled cheese
So glad you enjoyed this bisque, Jennifer! Your grilled cheese alongside it sounds like the perfect match.
I made this tonight with grilled cheese. It was easy and delicious! Will pin it to make again.
Perfect combo! So glad you enjoyed it, Jenny! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Wow! This looks amazing! I’m so hungry for tomato bisque now! I absolutely love the grilled cheese croutons! What a great idea! This is definitely going on my planned menu this week!
Thank you,
Kendra
Yay! Thanks so much, Kendra!!
Tomato soup and grilled cheese is my ultimate comfort food; we’re expecting storms in a few days so I’m going to make sure I have everything on hand to make your tomato bisque. I can taste it already!
Love to hear that! Thank you, Kelsie!
This bisque needs to happen with a grilled cheese on the side at our house ASAP Marissa!
Woohoo! Thank you, Mary Ann!
This bisque sounds delicious. I love that you’ve left some texture in there. I thin I’d like it chunky!
haha, you’re on to me – I DO like a little texture! This soup can be blended to whatever degree you like, from chunky to velvety smooth. 🙂 Thanks, Jeff!
A good tomato bisque is almost impossible to beat on a chilly day! It pairs well with so many other dishes, but it can stand alone by itself. And now you’ve got me craving a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato bisque! I’m gonna have to make that happen soon. This looks (and sounds) delicious!!
I agree – Tomato Bisque and a crunchy grilled cheese are the perfect comforting combo for a chilly day! Thanks so much, David!
LOVE bisque….probably because it has cream in it! This tomato bisque looks super comforting, Marissa, and much needed with the cold, rainy day we have here today. Love the suggestion of having with a welsh rarebit – now that would make some meal!!!
haha, right?! That little bit of cream makes all the difference. 😉 Thank you, my friend!
This is a great soup to kick off Fall with! It looks so good and those homemade croutons are key in this!
Yes! The croutons really add something special for sure. Thanks, Kevin!
Hi Marissa! I’ve been looking for a tomato bisque recipe, but haven’t found one that I was happy with until now!! I think the idea of grilled cheese croutons is perfect! Gary doesn’t usually want croutons, but he does like grilled cheese sandwiches. Even though it’s still very warm (hot) here I’m craving soups and stews and this is just what I need!!
Hi Dorothy! I’m so excited for you to try this! I hope that you and Gary will enjoy it! Still hot there? Wow…fall will arrive eventually… 😉