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This tomato basil soup recipe, inspired by Cafe Zupas, is one of my very favorite soups. It is simple to make and it is so rich and creamy!
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My niece Kelsey worked at Cafe Zupas for a few years, and while she never got a glimpse of their top secret recipe book, she was able to tell me roughly how to make their famous Tomato Basil Soup. I never visit Zupas without getting a cup – it is so rich and creamy and just plain delicious! This is the perfect soup and also the perfect dip for grilled cheese sandwiches. And now I can make it at home!
Ingredients for Easy Tomato Basil Soup
Don’t let these ingredients overwhelm you; while there are several ingredients, they all blend perfectly together making a cozy, warming soup. Use fresh or canned tomatoes and add in all the delicious ingredients to make the perfect combination! Top with orzo and parmesan cheese to make this a Zupas favorite!
- Butter – Melting the butter in a large pot on the stovetop while sautéing the vegetables. This gives the veggies more flavor too!
- Vegetables – You will want to chop up the vegetables evenly to help with the cooking process.
- Garlic – This will enhance the soup with flavor and aroma.
- Flour – The flour will make a roux to help thicken the soup.
- Chicken broth – If you want a lighter broth or something vegetarian, then you can use vegetable broth instead.
- Stewed tomatoes – If you have any garden tomatoes left, then this is a great way to use them up. You can just substitute fresh diced tomatoes instead of the store-bought canned tomatoes.
- Pesto – You can make a homemade pesto or store-bought also works great!
- Dried oregano – This seasoning has a bit of sweetness and a hint of bitterness with a hint of pepper similar to thyme.
- Brown sugar – Add a little sweetness to the soup!
- Heavy cream – Fill each bowl with an extra creamy texture with this heavy cream. Drizzle some extra heavy cream on top of each bowl as a garnish.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated parmesan is a great garnish over top of the creamy soup.
- Fresh basil – Use as an optional garnish for this soup.
- Cooked orzo pasta – If you’ve ever had the tomato basil soup at Cafe Zupas, then you know they serve it with a scoop of orzo as a garnish. It is so yummy and provides a bit of texture.
How to Make Zupas Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
This rich and creamy tomato basil soup is so delicious it will warm your heart! It is a comforting and flavorful soup. Kids to adults love this cozy and easy tomato basil soup recipe!
- Saute – In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté until veggies become soft and clear. Stir in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Whisk – Pour the chicken broth into the large soup pot. Constantly whisking together. Now add tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Simmer – Stir in pesto, oregano, and sugar and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Blend – Remove from heat and cool. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender. If working in batches, blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and heat over medium heat. Whisk in heavy cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve – Garnish with parmesan cheese, orzo, and fresh basil, croutons, or crusty bread, and serve.
Fresh or Canned Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are always a plus for this soup recipe! If you have any garden tomatoes left, then this is a great way to use them. This soup is perfect year-round. Once summer is over and it is easier to use canned tomatoes, this soup is just what you need!
- Fresh tomatoes – This recipe is better with garden or fresh tomatoes because it adds more flavor! First, you will want to roast your tomatoes by placing them on a large sheet pan and baking them in the oven. Once roasted, place in a large pot to cook at medium-high heat, then blend the ingredients to use in the soup.
- Canned tomatoes – Any can of roasted or canned stewed tomatoes will work well. If using canned tomatoes, we love San Marzano tomatoes because they have good substance and a lot of flavor.
Variations for the Best Zupas Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Make this creamy tomato basil soup recipe just the way you like it! Even the soup base on its own is packed with flavor. And, with a few changes, this soup can be adapted into something lighter or even spicier, rather than thick and rich with added calories. Pick and choose what is best for you and your family!
- Seasonings – Choose more seasonings to create or add to the flavor combination. We love using fresh basil leaves, fresh thyme, garlic powder, or onion powder to help add flavor, and they also blend well with this red tomato soup recipe.
- Oil – In place of butter, you can cook your vegetables in olive oil or canola oil.
- Blender – If you have an immersion blender, then you can use that instead of a blender.
- Broth flavors – For other flavors of broth, you can try beef, chicken, or vegetable.
- Milk base – Although using milk, coconut milk, or almond milk will reduce the creamy texture, it will also keep this tomato basil soup on the healthier side.
- Spicy – Add in a little heat with red pepper flakes, paprika, or chili powder. Then, get ready to enjoy a spicer flavor!
“LOVE this soup! Such a great copycat recipe.”
-Nellie
Frequently Asked Questions
This tomato basil soup recipe is an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins C and E, plus, it is known to lower the risk of cancer and other diseases. Heart disease and obesity are also some diseases that are lowered by consuming fresh tomatoes.
Tomato bisque is made by adding cream or whole milk, whereas tomato basil soup is made with chicken or vegetable stock. Bisque is known to have a thicker and creamier consistency because of the extra cream. This soup is a combination of both!
So many side dishes go along with this popular tomato soup such as this salad, zucchini chips, or homemade rolls.
If you use flour or cornstarch for the thickener, then you will have a great base for this soup. Add in more or less depending on how thick you would like it. Set the stove to medium-high and stir constantly to create a thick soup.
Plum tomatoes or Roma tomatoes are always a favorite. They have the most flavor and taste when roasted. Garden fresh or organic tomatoes always have the most flavor.
Storing Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
This tomato basil soup is perfect to make ahead or even store leftovers. Simply place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for five days. Then, take your leftover soup and reheat it in the microwave or cook on medium-low heat until it is warmed through. Enjoy your tomato basil soup another day!
- Cooling – Allow the soup to completely cool before storing it. If you need to speed up the process, then you can place the pot where you cooked the creamy tomato basil soup in an ice bath.
- Refrigerate – Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing – Save this soup for another day when freezing the soup in the freezer. Place the remaining soup in an airtight container or freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
- Thawing – Place the frozen creamy tomato soup in the fridge to thaw or place the bag in warm water at room temperature.
- Reheating – Pour the leftovers or thawed soup into a large pot and slowly heat it. Stirring the entire time. The contents may separate if it is heated too quickly.
Read Next: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love
More Tasty Soup Recipes
Soup is a staple in the cold-weather months. They are warm and cozy and fill several warm bellies. Here are some more of our favorite soup recipes!
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Cheesy Potato Soup
- Pastina Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, or about 5-6 cups diced tomatoes
- ⅔ cup pesto
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- salt and pepper, to taste
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- fresh basil, for garnish
- cooked orzo pasta, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Saute until veggies become soft and clear.
- Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, whisking constantly. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring often.
- Stir in pesto, oregano, and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Blend in a blender, working in batches, or using an immersion blender until smooth.
- Return to pot and heat over medium until warm. Whisk in heavy cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese, basil, and orzo and serve.
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Notes
- If using a slow cooker, the instructions are nearly the same except that instead of simmering for 30 minutes, transfer the soup to the slow cooker and cook on low for at least 4 hours.
- Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to reheat, place in the microwave or cook on medium-low heat until it is warmed through.
- Here are some ideas for variations on this recipe:
- I love using fresh basil leaves, garlic powder, or onion powder to add flavor. Add red pepper flakes, paprika, or chili powder for a spicier flavor.
- In place of butter, you can cook your vegetables in olive oil or canola oil.
- For a healthier version, replace heavy cream with coconut or almond milk.
Nutrition Information
Hi, I feel so silly to ask this, was hoping someone else had already. Here goes…the one cup of pesto, is it the green basil pesto or the red sun-dried tomato pesto. I’m guessing red, but want to be sure. Thank you, cannot wait to make this!!!
All questions are good questions! It would be the green basil pesto.
Erica, I can’t wait to make this! I’d like to make for a friend who is gluten free. Have you thickened with cornstarch instead
of flour? If so, do you remember approximately how much cornstarch you used? Thanks for your suggestions! 😊
Thickening with cornstarch works great! You can use the same amount of cornstarch as flour (this is Erica’s sister Emily – I am also gluten free)
So excited to try this recipe! But have a couple clarifying questions surrounding prepping fresh tomatoes. It says to stew tomatoes first but also says to roast them first – isn’t stewing boiling then using an ice bath to remove skins? Then do you roast in addition to that? What’s the order? What temps and time do you roast for Roma tomatoes? Any clarification would be great!
Sorry this was an error in the writing, the two fresh tomato bullet points needed to be separated into two different points. It is fixed now. To roast Romas, cut your tomatoes and place cut-side-up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 450-defrees F for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes have nice, roasted edges. Hope this helps!
Without even mentioning what the recipe was, my sister said it tasted like the Zupas soup. 10/10!!!
This is the greatest kind of compliment we can get! Love that she made that comparison all on her own!
Make this every other week. Serve with Grill Cheese Sandwich family loves it.
I don’t usually leave reviews on recipes I’ve tried but I just had to leave one for this. This is literally the best tomato soup I have ever had and beats any soup I’ve had at a restaurant. Will definitely be making this again and anyone who loves tomato soup needs to follow this recipe!! Would give more stars if I could!!
Just as good as the restaurant. Just perfect for what I wanted!
This was so delicious! It was exactly what I was looking for! Just as I remember the soup tasting. Yum!
Thanks!
So cozy and comforting – perfect for all this cold blistery weather we’ve been having! Thanks for the recipe!
LOVE this soup! Such a great copycat recipe
This recipe sounds like a winner to use with my tomato sauce made from my summer batch. However, easier than using a blender, my Cuisinart immersion stick blender is so much easier t an transferring liquids. Give one a try, I’m sure you’ll love it.
Have you tried canning this soup?
We haven’t tried canning this sound and probably wouldn’t recommend it due to the dairy in the recipe. Hope this helps!
I made this recipe and before I added the cream to the whole batch I thought I’d try it in a sample and see if it needed it. Turns out I didn’t think the cream really added much and my husband agreed so we left it out. Love this soups. Love love love…
My daughter was just telling me I needed to learn to make this soup over thanksgiving. I have not had this soup yet, but I guess she loves it. I will have to surprise her over Christmas break. Thanks for sharing.
Oh boy this sounds delicious, I have to try it – and soon. It is good for breakfast, right lol.