Easy Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe (with Fresh Basil or Dill)
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Chilly days are always the time when I want a bowl of hot soup and this homemade Creamy Tomato Bisque recipe is the best recipe! Who doesn’t love tomato soup and grilled cheese!?
An easy, creamy tomato bisque recipe that is fabulous by itself, with croutons or of course with a grilled cheese sandwich! I’ve made this tomato bisque with dill, but you can easily swap in fresh basil. You are going to fall in love with the rich tomato flavor of this delicious tomato soup.
Check out this great post on the best bread recipes for soup!
This homemade tomato soup is from my mother-in-law’s recipe box and it is a great recipe. She served this creamy tomato bisque recipe at her European Tea House, and it was a customer favorite. Come find out why!
I love curling up in front of the fire with a big bowl of tomato bisque soup or having it for game night with the family. Easy recipes are the best, it is so thick and rich—it can be the main course, or you can have it as a side. And lunch is a snap when you have it frozen and ready to go!
When you’re in the mood for hot soup, recipes that warm the soul as well as the belly, try my Bacon Beef Minestrone—it’s full of savory sirloin, nutrient rich beans, and seasonal vegetables.
You might also love this light, chock-full of veggies Creamy Chicken Poblano soup. And here’s my Easy Tortilla Soup loaded with chicken and veggies—it’s tangy with a squeeze of lime!
Why You Will Love this Creamy Tomato Bisque Recipe
- Easy soup recipe alert! A pretty quick homemade creamy soup recipe from start to finish about 30 minutes.
- Use Fresh or Canned Tomatoes | Got some tomatoes past their prime, this is a great way to use them up! No fresh? No worries, use canned tomatoes, I love San Marzano Tomatoes for this recipe.
- Tastes AMAZING | Make this restaurant quality soup right at home!
- Makes a Meal | Pair this creamy tomato soup recipe with cheese sandwiches and you have lunch or a light dinner.
Easy Ingredients
Full measurements and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Whole Tomatoes | If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can substitute canned, either is delicious and I have made it both ways–repeatedly! This is a great use for bruised or beyond prime garden tomatoes.
- Chicken Broth (or Chicken stock) | Better Than Bouillon is an easy way to keep this on hand, vegetable broth is a great vegetarian option.
- Heavy Whipping Cream and Half-and-Half | This is what makes this tomato dill soup thick and rich and counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Onion | If you finely chop this healthy, flavorful vegetable, your kids won’t even know it’s there!
- Butter | This helps to enrich the flavor of the onion and contributes to a velvety texture.
- Flour | I use King Arthur’s Organic Flour for thickening. When combined with the cream, it turns this dish into one that is truly filling! Use GF Flour for gluten-free tomato bisque soup!
- Honey | The sweetness balances the acidity in this tomato bisque soup. For a vegan alternative, substitute an equal amount of agave or 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Herbs | A combination of dill weed, oregano, thyme, and parsley is the secret to this flavorful dish, but as I mentioned earlier, you can also make tomato bisque soup with fresh basil.
- Croutons | I have two great options for you: my crunchy Homemade Croutons that are chewy on the inside or my Pretzel Bites that you can make in the air fryer or oven. Both are delicious!
Instructions to Make Delicious Tomato Bisque
Melt butter and then saute chopped onions in butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once they begin to caramelize, add flour and cook for another couple of minutes. This removes the flour taste/flavor leaving behind just a great thickener.
Stir in kosher salt, pepper, and dried herbs until their aroma becomes fragrant. Watch carefully so they don’t brown or burn.
Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Stir in the fresh dill (or basil) and honey, then slowly whisk in the cream and half-and-half.
Blend your tomato bisque soup to the desired creamy texture. Using an immersion blender for a chunkier soup or a high speed blender for a silky smooth tomato soup. Do a taste test, adding a little black pepper and kosher salt to taste if needed.
Top with croutons and fresh herbs and if desired a drizzle of sour cream, creme fraiche or plain Greek yogurt. Ahh the perfect comfort food.
Variations & Substitutions
- BACON! Saute 3-5 pieces of bacon (chopped) until crispy, then remove to towel lined plate and reserve for serving. Saute your onion in the bacon grease!
- TOMATO BASIL BISQUE | Instead of dill, try some fresh basil!
- GLUTEN-FREE TOMATO BISQUE | swap out the flour for GF all-purpose flour.
- VEGAN TOMATO BISQUE | Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Combine ¾ cup plant-based heavy cream and ¼ cup unsweetened soy or almond milk to replace both the cream and half-and-half. Or, simply use a can of full fat coconut milk. Use agave or maple syrup in place of the honey.
- SPICY | Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
- CHEESE PLEASE | Top with a little creamy blue or gorgonzola cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Gruyere or other strong cheese.
- LITE TOMATO BISQUE | Replace the half and half with whole milk, I still recommend you use the heavy cream, but if you really want to lighten it up, you can replace both half and half and cream with whole milk.
TIPS from TFC
- Pro Tip 1 | If you love a silky, smooth consistency, blend the tomato basil soup in a high speed blender. For a chunkier texture, only transfer half to the blender before stirring it back into the pot or use an immersion blender instead.
- Pro Tip 2 | You can freeze this tomato bisque soup for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Since dairy doesn’t freeze well, leave out the cream and half-and-half and stir them in after it’s been thawed and reheated.
- Pro Tip 3 | Caramelizing onions is easy to do, and the flavor is worth the extra step! Sauté your sliced or diced onions in butter or olive oil over medium heat until they develop a rich, golden brown color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional bisque is thicker, using a mixture of heavy cream and broth.
Always start with room temperature ingredients! If you’re in a rush, you can also mix a little bit of the hot stock mixture into the cream to temper it first. Then, stir it into the pot and keep the heat low so it doesn’t boil. So how to freeze below if it does curdle.
After rinsing and patting your herbs dry, spread them on a sheet pan in a single layer. Put the pan in the freezer for about an hour, then transfer the herbs to an airtight container. They last for about 12 months!
This is a great meal prep recipe, make once and store 1 cup portions in airtight containers in the fridge up to 5 days.
Soups with cream or milk in them do not typically freeze well, you will get some curdling when reheating. This won’t hurt you though, so if it comes to throwing out or freezing, freeze your cream soup! Check out this post about fixing curdled soups! If you are planning on freezing, then wait to add the cream until you reheat.
Pour into a small saucepan and reheat over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. This is my favorite way, if you are in a rush, you may reheat in the microwave.
What to serve with Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup
Now we are talking! Of course we all love tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, but you can change it up too!
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits on the table in 30 minutes tops!
- Cheddar Beer Popovers or 4 ingredient Beer Bread
- My 4 ingredient Irish Soda bread is the perfect loaf of crusty bread.
- Caprese BLT’s are a late summer favorite
- Salad is always a great choice, try this Wild Rice Harvest Salad or Chicken Salad.
- This Heirloom Tomato Tart would go perfectly with this fresh creamy tomato soup!
More Soup Recipes to Enjoy
- Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
- Best Beer and Cheese Soup {with Sharp Cheddar Cheese}
- Ham, Mac & Cheese Soup
- Easy Italian Wedding Soup
If you tried this creamy tomato bisque recipe, be sure to pop back in and leave a rating and a comment!
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Creamy Tomato Bisque Recipe (with Basil or Dill)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup onion, chopped (about half a medium onion)
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour, or use GF Flour
- 3-4 cups diced tomatoes, sub with 28-32 ounce canned tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock/broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup half-and-half
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (sub with 2 tablespoons dried parsley)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white or black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped dill weed (or use 2 teaspoons dried dill)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Garnish Options
- Chopped Fresh dill, fresh basil, fresh parsley or fresh thyme
- Croutons or replace bread in crouton recipe with day old pretzel bites
- Creme Fraiche, sour cream, coconut milk or plain Greek Yogurt
- Spoonful of cheese; try gorgonzola, blue cheese, sharp cheddar, Gruyere, etc.
Instructions
- In a medium soup pot, saute onion in melted butter over medium heat. Once translucent and starting to brown, stir in flour, cooking until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, dill*, oregano, and thyme stirring for a minute to bloom the herbs. Add tomatoes and chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add fresh parsley (and fresh dill if using instead of dried) and honey, stirring until combined, then slowly whisk in cream and half and half until smooth.
- For chunkier tomato bisque, use an immersion blender or blender and only blend a portion of the soup. For a silky, smooth tomato soup, blend in a high speed blender until silky smooth.
- Delicious served with croutons and a garnish of dill, parsley or thyme and a swirl of creme fraiche, sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or coconut cream. And of course grilled cheese!
✱ Kathleen’s Tips
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this recipe K! Making it now, already it smells oh so good. Thank you – P