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    Recipes » Soup » French Soups

    Tomato Bisque

    Published: Sep 12, 2022 by Marissa Stevens · 75 Comments

    VegetarianQuick Meals

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Tomato Bisque served in a white bowl on a black plate

    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.

    Creamy Tomato Bisque served in a white oval bowl

    You might be surprised to see water instead of broth in this recipe, but I promise it makes a better soup. So many delicious soups are made with a broth or stock base (like French Onion Soup), but in this soup, as with Caldo Verde and Albondigas Soup, water in the right quantity allows flavors to shine where broth might compete.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Tomato Bisque
    • What goes well with tomato bisque?
    • FAQ
    • More Vegetarian Soups to Try
    • How to Make Tomato Bisque
    • Recipe Video
    • Tomato Bisque
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Tomato Bisque

    For the Soup

    • Butter: salted butter or unsalted (whatever you have on hand)
    • Olive oil: ideally extra-virgin olive oil
    • Onion: yellow onion, white onion or sweet onion
    • Carrot: peeled or unpeeled, your choice
    • Celery: use an inner celery rib for the best flavor and texture
    • Garlic: fresh cloves that are firm with smooth skin
    • Canned Whole Tomatoes: be sure to use the juice as well
    • Dried Basil: or twice the amount of fresh basil if you have it on hand
    • Heavy Cream: a little goes a long way to give this bisque its rich and silky flavor
    • Crushed Red Pepper: just a pinch for a very gentle heat

    For the Croutons

    • Bread: sourdough or other crusty loaf with the crust removed
    • Olive oil: ideally extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher Salt

    What goes well with tomato bisque?

    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 classic Jambon-Beurre sandwich, a grilled cheese sandwich or, even better, Welsh Rarebit or Savory Scones. Or skip the toasted croutons replacing them with grilled cheese 'croutons' instead, just a grilled cheese sandwich cut into bite size pieces.

    Tomato Bisque served in a white bowl

    FAQ

    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!

    What is the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque?

    Though the terms are often used interchangeably (along with Cream of Tomato Soup), bisque is typically creamier and has a splash (or more) of added cream.

    More Vegetarian Soups to Try

    • Vegetarian French Onion Soup
    • Delicata Squash Soup
    • Vegan Corn Chowder
    • Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

    How to Make Tomato Bisque

    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.

    Cooking vegetables in butter and olive oil
    Vegetables Tomatoes Water and aromatics
    Tomato Bisque Simmering

    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.

    Adding cream to tomato bisque
    Blending Tomato Bisque until smooth
    Toasting Croutons for Tomato Bisque

    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. Serve soup hot topped with croutons.

    Recipe Video

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    Creamy Tomato Bisque

    Tomato Bisque

    Marissa Stevens
    You can make this delicious, creamy Tomato Bisque topped with crispy croutons in less than half an hour with this easy recipe!
    5 from 31 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 219 kcal

    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
    • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • pinch crushed red pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • ¼ 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 738mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2410IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2.4mg
    Keyword comfort food, easy, quick, winter
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More French Soups

    • Vegetarian French Onion Soup
    • Potato Leek Soup
    • French Onion Soup
    • Spring Leek Soup with Gruyere Toasts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. GC says

      January 15, 2023 at 3:28 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful! Wonderfully easy, wonderfully tasty!

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 18, 2023 at 11:12 am

        My pleasure, GC! So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Christina Lang says

      January 07, 2023 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this to take to my church’s potluck tomorrow. I sampled it and wow! It’s phenomenal.

      If you want a crock pot’s worth, quadrupole the recipe.

      Thanks for the towel/blender tip!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 08, 2023 at 11:44 am

        Hi Christina! I'm so glad you like the soup! Great tip on making a group-size portion (portable and easy to keep warm that way too).

        Reply
    3. Annette says

      January 06, 2023 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 07, 2023 at 3:57 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, Annette!

        Reply
    4. Julie says

      January 06, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious. * I added a squirt of anchovy paste.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 07, 2023 at 3:58 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Anchovy paste is a great way to add a bit of umami!

        Reply
    5. Jena says

      December 29, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! So delicious and easy.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 30, 2022 at 8:49 am

        I'm so glad you're enjoying it, Jena!

        Reply
    6. Elizabeth says

      December 22, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight super easy and so so good!!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 23, 2022 at 9:51 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!

        Reply
    7. Kathy S says

      December 19, 2022 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Delicious. I’m not a tomato soup person. However, I made this recipe and just love it. Definitely will make it again.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 19, 2022 at 11:58 am

        I love to hear this, Kathy! Thank you for taking the time to let me know.

        Reply
    8. Margie Wagner says

      December 15, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      I tried making this tomato bisque for the first time with guests over for dinner. It was a huge hit - everyone had seconds but me - there wasn't any left! I can't wait to make it again. Thank you for a great vegetarian recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 16, 2022 at 2:09 pm

        That's wonderful, Margie! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    9. MEGAN says

      December 15, 2022 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      This was great and easy! Made it exactly as the recipe and my husband had 3 bowls! I loved there was no sugar in it. I did skip the croutons and had mini grilled cheese squares. We are definitely saving this recipe!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 16, 2022 at 2:09 pm

        I love to hear this, Megan! Mini grilled cheese squares are the perfect partner for this soup.

        Reply
    10. Karyn Williams says

      October 09, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      THIS…IS…THE…BEST!!!!! I used to purchase my Tomato Bisque from a company that’s packaged & “homemade in minutes,” but this FAR surpasses it. I did use fire roasted tomatoes & it added that extra flavor. I sure will be passing this recipe to everyone I know. If I could give this 100+ stars, that wouldn’t be enough.👍👍👍👍

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        October 10, 2022 at 9:24 am

        I love to hear this, Karyn! So glad you're enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
      • Angela Sargent says

        January 15, 2023 at 4:22 pm

        5 stars
        Perfect for this rainy, Sunday in Seattle tonight with a nice grilled cheese sandwich. Yummy comfort food! 😋

        Thanks for the easy recipe!

        Reply
        • Marissa Stevens says

          January 18, 2023 at 11:11 am

          My pleasure, Angela! So glad you enjoyed it.

          Reply
    11. Kelly | Foodtasia says

      September 13, 2022 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      So cozy and delicious! I'm intrigued by using water instead of broth!

      Reply
    12. Reenee says

      August 27, 2022 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      I made the recipe exactly as written, in a rush for a last minute Saturday night supper addition to have with our grilled cheeses, and it was GREAT! Hit the spot! So easy and quick, and tastes great. My family loved it!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 29, 2022 at 1:03 pm

        This is wonderful to hear, Reenee! I'm so happy the soup was hit with you and your family.

        Reply
    13. Lisa P. says

      February 03, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this is excellent! I love tomato bisque at restaurants but have never made one nearly as good- this recipe is certainly restaurant quality! It is so delicious! I used the tomatoes I canned from my garden last summer. I doubled the recipe but still feel like it won't be enough for my hungry family of 6. I also made the coutons with some stale cheddar jalapeno sourdough bread I made a few days ago. Thanks for sharing this recipe- I know it will become a family favorite.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        February 05, 2022 at 10:15 am

        So glad you're enjoying the recipe, Lisa. Even better with home grown tomatoes!

        Reply
    14. srqmamasita says

      January 30, 2022 at 6:30 pm

      5 stars
      Made it "my own" and reduced the calories by using 3/4 cup water and 1/2 whole milk (also skipped the croutons). Delicious!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        February 03, 2022 at 10:14 am

        So glad you're enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
    15. Rachel Krezer says

      January 12, 2022 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      Used crushed tomatoes to save time and low-fat half n' half and didn't notice any difference in taste but cut the calories of the heavy cream.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 12, 2022 at 2:27 pm

        So glad you enjoyed this, Rachel and that you made it your own!

        Reply
    16. Amanda Stone says

      December 12, 2021 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      This is by far the best tomato bisque recipe ever!! However, I did change 2 things, instead of water I use chicken broth and I add an additional can of fire roasted tomatoes to it!! I also make your croutons too. Thank you so much for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        December 12, 2021 at 11:16 am

        So glad you're enjoying this and that you made it your own!

        Reply
    17. Joellen says

      November 06, 2021 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        November 08, 2021 at 7:34 am

        My pleasure, Joellen! So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
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