Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes - Easy 15-Minute Recipe

Name: Easy Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Butter; 1 Onion (diced); 2 tablespoons Tomato puree; 400 g Chopped tomatoes (canned); 500 ml Vegetable stock (low salt); ½ teaspoon Fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper; Fresh basil ((to serve))

No fresh tomatoes? You really don't need them for a good homemade tomato soup. This easy tomato soup with tinned tomatoes is ready in just 15 minutes and uses five main ingredients that I nearly always have in the kitchen.

A bowl of tomato soup next to a pile of bagels.

Tinned tomatoes - or canned tomatoes if you're in the US - make this a tomato soup you can make all year round, without waiting for fresh tomatoes to be in season. There's no roasting, peeling or chopping tomatoes either. Just soften an onion, add everything to the pan, simmer and blend.

This is one of those recipes I make when lunchtime has somehow crept up on me and there isn't much in the fridge. I always keep tins of tomatoes in the cupboard (such a staple in our house), so a warm bowl of homemade soup is never far away.

It's smooth, full of tomato flavour and doesn't need any cream to make it delicious. Add some crunchy croutons or a cheese toastie on the side and you have a really comforting quick lunch.

Recipe update: This recipe was originally published on 1 October 2021 and was fully retested in October 2026 to check the cooking time and ingredient quantities. The original recipe still worked well, but I've expanded the instructions, tips and FAQs.

For other ways to cook tomato soup, try our slow cooker tomato soup, air fryer tomato soup, high protein tomato soup or our red pepper and tomato soup.

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Why You'll Love It
Why Make Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes?
Recipe Overview
Ingredients and Substitutions
How To Make Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes
Variations
What To Serve with Tomato Soup
Storage
Troubleshooting Guide
Dannii's Top Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes
Recipe
Feedback

Why You'll Love It

Ready in 15 minutes - A genuinely quick homemade soup for busy days.
No fresh tomatoes needed - Tinned tomatoes make this easy to cook all year round.
Just 5 main ingredients - Mostly inexpensive cupboard and fridge staples.
No cream required - The blended onion, tomatoes and butter give it a lovely smooth texture as it is.
Budget friendly - A simple way to turn a tin of tomatoes into a filling homemade lunch.
Easy to adapt - Make it vegan, add basil, stir through some cream or give it a spicy kick.
Freezer friendly - Make a double batch and save some for another day.

Why Make Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes?

You absolutely don't need a pile of fresh tomatoes to make homemade tomato soup. In fact, tinned tomatoes make this recipe much more practical because you can keep them in the cupboard and make soup whenever you want it. This was such a staple recipe in my student days.

Tinned tomatoes also save a lot of preparation. There's no roasting, peeling or waiting for fresh tomatoes to cook down. That's how this tomato soup can be on the table in around 15 minutes.

Because the tomatoes are the main flavour in such a simple soup, I do recommend using a brand that you like the taste of. I usually use Mutti tomatoes, but any good-quality chopped tomatoes will work.

Whole plum tomatoes can also be used. Just add the entire tin, including the juices, as everything gets blended at the end anyway.

Recipe Overview

Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 14 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Diet: Vegetarian; gluten-free when using suitable stock
Vegan option: Use olive oil or plant-based butter

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Tinned chopped tomatoes - The star of this recipe. In the US these are called canned tomatoes. Chopped tomatoes are the quickest option, although whole peeled or plum tomatoes work too because the soup is blended.
Onion - This gives the soup sweetness and a little more body when blended. I use a small brown onion, but shallots would also work and have a slightly sweeter flavour.
Tomato purée - This is tomato paste in the US. It intensifies the tomato flavour and helps give the soup a richer colour and slightly thicker consistency.
Butter - I like the flavour butter gives the soup. You can use olive oil or plant-based butter instead if you want to make it vegan.
Vegetable stock - Vegetable stock keeps the soup vegetarian. Chicken stock can be used if that isn't important to you and you want a slightly richer flavour. Use low-salt stock if you are cooking for younger children.
Salt and pepper - Season to taste, remembering that the amount needed will depend on how salty your stock is.
Fresh basil - Optional, but a few leaves stirred through or blended in at the end work really well with tomato.

More ways to adapt this recipe can be found in the Variations section below.

How To Make Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes

Chopped onions cooking in butter in a large pan.

Soften the onions: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until softened and just starting to colour.

Chopped tomatoes added to the onion in the oan.

Add the tomatoes: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for about 30 seconds. This helps bring out more of its rich tomato flavour. Add the tinned tomatoes.

Simmer: Add the vegetable stock and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Blend the soup: Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If using fresh basil, add it just before blending or scatter it over the finished soup.

If you prefer a thicker tomato soup, you can hold back around 100ml of the stock before simmering.

Blend the soup first and then add as much of the remaining stock as you need to get the consistency you like.

Variations

There are lots of simple ways to change this tomato soup without turning it into a completely different recipe.

For a creamy tomato soup, stir through a small splash of cream after blending. Greek yogurt or a plant-based cream can also be used, although add yogurt away from a high heat to stop it splitting.

For a tomato and basil soup, add a generous handful of fresh basil immediately before blending. Adding it at the end keeps the flavour fresher.

To make a vegan tomato soup, simply swap the butter for olive oil or a plant-based butter and make sure your vegetable stock is vegan.

For a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes with the tomato purée.

You can also drizzle a little pesto over each bowl before serving for an extra boost of basil and garlic flavour.

What To Serve with Tomato Soup

There is something about tomato soup and melted cheese that just works. A cheese toastie is always my first choice and our air fryer cheese toastie makes a really easy lunch. You could also try our cottage cheese grilled cheese if you want something a little different.

For some crunch on top, add homemade air fryer croutons or sourdough croutons. They're especially useful if you have bread that needs using up.

If you prefer bread for dipping, our air fryer garlic bread is ready in just a few minutes, while garlic and rosemary focaccia is lovely when you have a little more time.

A thick slice of easy white bread or slow cooker bread with butter are also perfect if you want to keep things simple.

A slice of buttered bread being dipped into a bowl of tomato soup.

Storage

Fridge: Allow leftover tomato soup to cool and transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezer: This soup freezes really well. Once completely cool, portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Freezing it in individual portions makes quick lunches much easier.

Defrost: Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat: Heat gently in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. You can add a small splash of stock or water if the soup has thickened while stored.

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem	Fix
My tomato soup is too thin	Simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes so some of the liquid can reduce. Next time, hold back some of the stock and add it after blending.
My tomato soup is too thick	Stir in a little extra vegetable stock or hot water until it reaches the consistency you want.
The soup tastes too acidic	Different tins of tomatoes vary. Taste first, then try a tiny pinch of sugar, a little extra butter or a splash of cream to soften the acidity.
The soup tastes bland	Check the seasoning first. A little extra salt, pepper, basil or pesto can make a big difference.
The soup isn't smooth enough	Blend for a little longer. A jug blender usually gives the smoothest finish, but take care when blending hot liquids.

Dannii's Top Tips

If you aren't sure how thick you want the soup, reserve some of the stock (about 100ml) and add it gradually after blending.
Cooking the tomato purée for 30 seconds before adding the liquid gives it a richer flavour.
Taste the soup before adding anything to counteract acidity - good tomatoes may not need sugar at all.
Add fresh basil right at the end so its flavour doesn't disappear during cooking.
Use low-salt stock when making this for young children, then season individual adult portions afterwards.
If using a jug blender, don't completely seal very hot liquid inside it. Allow the soup to cool slightly and follow the blender manufacturer's instructions for hot foods.

Four small basil leaves on top of some tomato soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make tomato soup with canned tomatoes?

Yes. Canned tomatoes and tinned tomatoes are the same thing - "tinned" is simply the wording more commonly used in the UK.
This recipe has been designed specifically for canned/tinned tomatoes, so there is no need to use fresh tomatoes.

Do I need fresh tomatoes to make tomato soup?

No. That's the whole point of this recipe.
Fresh tomato soup can be delicious, but it needs more preparation and the flavour of fresh tomatoes varies throughout the year. This version uses tinned tomatoes so it can be made quickly at any time.
If you do want to make tomato soup with fresh tomatoes, I would use a recipe specifically developed for them rather than treating them as a straight swap.

What are the best tinned tomatoes for tomato soup?

Use a brand that you enjoy the taste of because there are so few ingredients in this soup.
Chopped tomatoes are the easiest option, but whole peeled or plum tomatoes work too. As the soup is blended at the end, their shape doesn't matter.

Why is my tomato soup watery?

The water content of different brands of tinned tomatoes can vary, and you may simply prefer your soup thicker.
Simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce it. You can also start with slightly less stock and add more after blending until the texture is right for you.

Can I make tomato soup without cream?

Definitely. There is no cream in this tomato soup and it is still smooth and comforting once blended.
If you prefer a creamier finish, you can stir through a little cream after blending, but it isn't necessary.

Can I make this in the slow cooker?

Yes, although the liquid quantities and cooking time need adjusting. If you want to make it that way, use my slow cooker tomato soup recipe, which has been specifically tested for the slow cooker.

Can I make this tomato soup in advance?

Yes. Make the soup as normal, cool it quickly and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
It also freezes well, so making a double batch is an easy way to have homemade soup ready for another day.

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes

If you've tried this easy tomato soup recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy and use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

A bowl of easy tomato soup with two small basil leaves on top.

Easy Tomato Soup with Tinned Tomatoes

By: Dannii Martin

This easy tomato soup with tinned tomatoes (canned tomatoes) is ready in just 15 minutes with 5 main ingredients. No fresh tomatoes or cream needed.

Gluten Free

Vegetarian

4.93 from 13 votes

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Course: Lunch, Starter

Cuisine: British

Prep: 2

Cook: 13

Total: 15

Makes: 2 servings

Calories: 189kcal

Allergens:

Dairy

Recipe Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons of Butter
▢ 1 Onion - diced
▢ 2 tablespoons of Tomato puree
▢ 400 g (14 oz) of Chopped tomatoes - canned
▢ 500 ml (2 cups) of Vegetable stock (low salt)
▢ ½ teaspoon of Fine sea salt
▢ ½ teaspoon of Ground black pepper
▢ Fresh basil - (to serve)

For ingredient swaps, see our Ingredients and Substitutions section

Instructions

Soften the onions: Melt 2 tablespoons of Butter in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add 1 Onion (diced) and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened and just starting to colour.
Add the tomatoes: Stir in 2 tablespoons of Tomato puree and cook for about 30 seconds. This helps bring out more of its rich tomato flavour. Add 400 g of Chopped tomatoes.
Simmer: Add 500 ml of Vegetable stock (low salt), ½ teaspoon of Fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon of Ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Blend the soup: Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If using Fresh basil, add it just before blending or scatter it over the finished soup.

If you prefer a thicker tomato soup, you can hold back around 100ml of the stock before simmering.

Blend the soup first and then add as much of the remaining stock as you need to get the consistency you like.

Recipe Notes

For a thicker soup, hold back around 100ml of stock and add it after blending if needed.
Use good-quality tinned tomatoes as they provide most of the flavour.
Add fresh basil just before blending for a tomato basil variation.
Use low-salt stock if making the soup for young children.
Swap the butter for olive oil or plant-based butter to make the soup vegan.
If the tomatoes taste particularly acidic, a tiny pinch of sugar or a small splash of cream can help balance them.
Take care when blending hot soup, especially in a jug blender.

Nutritional Information

Where nutritional information is provided, it is approximate and calculated using online tools. Values can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, but we endeavour to be as accurate as possible.

All timings are a guide and may vary depending on the ingredients, equipment and, where relevant, the appliance used. Changing the serving size may also affect the time needed.