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Bring that cozy café experience home with a bowl of this rich and velvety Tomato Bisque, a deeply comforting soup that tastes like it simmered all day but is ready in under 30 minutes.
The second I feel a chill in the air, I start thinking about this Tomato Bisque. 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 chicken 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.
“Excellent bisque! The recipe is so easy too!! Thank you.”
susan bach
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and Easy: This entire dish, from chopping the vegetables to sitting down with a warm bowl, comes together in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight comfort meal.
- Deep Flavor Base: Sautéing onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a combination of butter and olive oil creates a rich, aromatic foundation (a classic mirepoix) that gives the soup a “simmered-all-day” taste in a fraction of the time.1
- Luxuriously Creamy and Smooth: The final step of blending the soup and finishing it with heavy cream is what transforms it into a true bisque, giving it that signature velvety texture and rich flavor that users expect.
Ingredients for Tomato Bisque
For the Soup
- Butter and Olive Oil: I use both for the best flavor – any butter works and extra-virgin olive oil is what I keep on hand.
- Yellow Onion: Choose firm onions with tight, papery skin. Sweet onions work well too.
- Carrots: Pick carrots that feel firm with bright orange color. No need to peel them.
- Celery: The inner ribs are perfect here – they’re more tender and have a milder flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh heads with tight, papery skins will give you the best flavor.
- Whole Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes, juice and all – it’s where much of the flavor lives.
- Dried Basil: If using fresh basil, double the amount.
- Heavy Cream: Just a touch transforms the soup into a proper bisque, making it silky smooth.
- Crushed Red Pepper: A pinch adds gentle warmth without making the soup spicy.
For the Croutons
- Bread: A day-old crusty loaf works best – I often use sourdough. Remove the crust for more delicate croutons.
- Olive Oil: The same extra-virgin olive oil you used in the soup works perfectly here.
- Kosher Salt: A light sprinkle brings out the bread’s flavor.
How to Make Tomato Bisque
Sauté and Simmer the Soup: In a large pot, 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.
Blend and Finish the Bisque: 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.
Make the Croutons and Serve: 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.
Pro Tips
- Build the Flavor Base: Don’t rush the first step of cooking the onion, carrot, and celery until they are truly soft and translucent. It takes a few minutes, but it’s worth it to build a sweet, savory base that gives this quick bisque a much deeper, “simmered-all-day” flavor.
- Balance the Acidity: Canned tomatoes vary a lot in acidity by brand. If you taste the finished soup and it seems a little too sharp, a little bit of sugar will balance the flavor without making the soup sweet. Start with just a tiny pinch (less than 1/8 teaspoon) and add more if you need to.
Recipe Variations
- Grilled Cheese Croutons: Cut a grilled cheese sandwich into bite-size pieces instead of using regular croutons – this is especially fun for kids.
- Manage the Texture: For a smooth bisque, keep blending until the soup has a uniform texture (the way I like it). Or for a velvety smooth bisque, pour the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Use a spatula to press the liquid through, leaving any seeds or fibrous bits behind. Or, if you prefer a little texture, pulse until the vegetables are in tiny pieces but still visible.
- Change Up The Herbs: I love to stir in some fresh basil when it’s in season. Or try snipped fresh rosemary for a subtle woodsy flavor. Chop extra of either for garnish.
- Make It Richer: Extra cream or a pat of butter swirled into each bowl adds extra richness, or try a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
- Skip The Heat: Leave out the red pepper flakes if you prefer no spice at all.
Serving Ideas
This bisque is hearty enough for a meal on its own, but I love serving it with a grilled cheese sandwich or classic Jambon-Beurre and a simple salad. For dinner, it makes a perfect starter before Turkey Meatloaf or pairs beautifully with Savory Scones.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).
Storage and Reheating
This soup freezes beautifully since it contains only a small amount of cream. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of cream if needed.
FAQ
While ‘bisque‘ traditionally referred to a seafood soup, modern versions include any creamy, blended soup – often featuring red pepper, squash, mushroom or, in this case, tomato. What sets a bisque apart from regular tomato soup is that splash of cream that makes it silky smooth and just a bit more indulgent.
Yes, you can. But high-quality canned tomatoes are not just convenient, they offer excellent, consistent flavor year-round. And most of the time, they work even better than fresh in Tomato Bisque. That said, if you want to use fresh tomatoes, the best method is to roast them first. Roasting brings out their sweetness and creates a deeper, richer flavor for your soup.
The key is to build a balanced flavor base. Sautéing carrots and onions adds a subtle sweetness that counteracts the tomatoes’ acidity. If your final soup still tastes a bit too sharp, often just a tiny pinch of sugar will round out the flavors.
Tomato soup was one of the first things I learned to cook, but this bisque version has become my standard. It takes just minutes longer than opening a can but tastes like it came from your favorite café. Next time you’re craving tomato soup, give this one a try.
More soup recipes to Try
Tomato Bisque
Video
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
- Sauté the Flavor Base: 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.
- Simmer the Soup: Add tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and basil. Stir and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- Blend and Finish: 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.
- Make the Croutons: 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: Serve bisque hot topped with croutons.
Notes
- Texture: For a perfectly smooth bisque, blend until no bits remain and strain through a fine sieve if you like, using a rubber spatula to help press it through. If you prefer a more rustic soup with some texture, just pulse the blender until the vegetables are in tiny pieces but still visible.
- Blender Safety: When blending hot liquids in a traditional blender, never seal the lid. Cover the top with a folded kitchen towel to allow steam to escape safely.
- Tomatoes: I find that using a high-quality brand of canned whole tomatoes (like San Marzano or fire-roasted) gives the most consistent, deep flavor for this bisque.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious. I’m not a tomato soup person. However, I made this recipe and just love it. Definitely will make it again.
I love to hear this, Kathy! Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
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!
That’s wonderful, Margie! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know.
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!!
I love to hear this, Megan! Mini grilled cheese squares are the perfect partner for this soup.
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.👍👍👍👍
I love to hear this, Karyn! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
Perfect for this rainy, Sunday in Seattle tonight with a nice grilled cheese sandwich. Yummy comfort food! 😋
Thanks for the easy recipe!
My pleasure, Angela! So glad you enjoyed it.
So cozy and delicious! I’m intrigued by using water instead of broth!
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!
This is wonderful to hear, Reenee! I’m so happy the soup was hit with you and your family.
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.
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Lisa. Even better with home grown tomatoes!
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!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
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.
So glad you enjoyed this, Rachel and that you made it your own!
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!!
So glad you’re enjoying this and that you made it your own!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
My pleasure, Joellen! So glad you enjoyed it!
I love tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and this did not disappoint! I added more water because the veggies weren’t quite ready to purée with my hand held blender.
So glad you enjoyed this, Ann! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
I love this recipe, the only thing I add different is a can of fire roasted tomatoes!! It just adds a little something extra, and it’s soo good!!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Amanda, and that you added your own twist!
Marissa, This was SO delicious! I didn’t have heavy cream on hand, so I used whole milk instead. For my taste, I did add a few tsps of sugar. From experience, I let the soup cool for a half hour prior to putting into the blender. I read reviews here, and many mentioned a grilled cheese to go along with. Of course, I had to make one! I found a recipe that called for gruyere cheese and sauteed onions, with mayo and Dijon mustard. That was very good, but the soup was the star! Looking forward to some very good leftovers! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed this, Jean. And that you made it your own! The grilled cheese you made to go with it sounds incredible!
This recipe was FULL of flavor; everything blended so deliciously to make a satisfying accompaniment to your Welsh Rarebit sandwich, also yummy! Thank you for the inspiration, Marissa!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Jackie!! Love it that you paired it with Welsh Rarebit. Thank you for coming back to let me know!