The Best Creamy & Easy Tomato Bisque
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This easy tomato bisque is rich, smooth, and incredibly creamy. Made with canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, butter, and heavy cream, it comes together with minimal effort but tastes like it simmered all day. Serve it with cheesy toasted ciabatta bread for the ultimate cozy meal. It’s the perfect soup for a busy weeknight.
TOMATO BISQUE
When the weather turns chilly, this easy tomato bisque is one of the first soups I make. It’s rich, creamy, and full of deep tomato flavor without requiring hours of simmering. The buttery cheesy ciabatta on top takes it completely over the top.
It’s one of my favorite soups to enjoy during the winter or spring. I love the rich flavors of the tangy tomatoes and creamy smooth texture. I love to top this tomato bisque with cheesy toasted ciabatta bread.
Sometimes I’ll ditch the fancy bread and make grilled cheese sandwich to go with the bisque. It’s delicious that way too. It’s so good. I can eat this everyday and not get tired of it!
This tomato bisque recipe only uses a handful of of pantry ingredients and and it’s easy to make.
This tomato bisque tastes like a bowl of creamy pizza sauce, and I’m not mad about it.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOMATO BISQUE AND TOMATO SOUP?
Traditionally, bisque was made using shellfish stock. These days, the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque mostly comes down to texture and richness. Tomato soup is usually thinner, while tomato bisque is thicker, creamier, and more luxurious thanks to ingredients like butter and heavy cream. That’s exactly what makes this tomato bisque so cozy and delicious. Now let’s get to the recipe!
TOMATO BISQUE INGREDIENTS
- A can of tomatoes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Heavy whipping cream
- Unsalted Butter
- French Bread or Ciabatta bread
- Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella blend (I love to use Tillamook brand to make this soup)
- Chicken broth *I used Low sodium Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- Spices – salt, pepper, pinch or two of cayenne pepper, dried basil, onion powder, garlic powder
- Fresh parsley for garnishment
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE INTO A TOMATO BASIL BISQUE
I use a bit of dried basil in this recipe for flavor but if you really love the flavor of fresh basil in your bisque, then add fresh basil or you can use a can of basil crushed tomatoes.
Add the fresh basil before you puree with the immersion blender or blender.
TOMATO BISQUE TOPPINGS
Make your tomato bisque even better with these topping ideas!
- Buttery Garlic Croutons
- Cheesy french or ciabatta bread (see recipe)
- Add some Gruyere, Parmesan, or Mozzarella cheese to the finished soup. I love to use Tillamook Italian Cheese Blend.
- Garnish with basil or Parsley
- Finish off the tomato bisque with swirls of heavy whipping cream or decadent Crème fraîche
HOW TO FREEZE TOMATO BISQUE
You’ll want to leave the cream out of this tomato bisque and add it later. Add the cream once you’re ready to cook the soup to avoid curdling and separating. Let the soup cool off completely then place it into ziploc bags or a tightly sealed container then place it into the freezer.This soup will freeze well for 3-4 months.
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO BISQUE
This tomato bisque soup recipe is so easy. And the best part? It simmers for just 15 minutes!
- In a large pot oven over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil. Once the oil sizzles, add the onions and celery.
- Sauté the onions and celery together until softened. Then stir in the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add flour (pic not shown). For shortcut, I used minced garlic in a jar.
- Add the the chicken broth to the pot with the onions, celery and garlic.
- To the pot with the vegetable broth and sauteed vegetables, add the canned tomatoes next. I used San Marzano styled tomatoes.
- Use an immersion blender to smooth everything out. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can pour everything into a blender.
- Let the tomato mixture come to a boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the butter and heavy whipping cream and mix until combined and the soup turns a light orange color.
- Mix the soup into the heavy cream until well combined.
- Your tomato bisque should now be creamy, with a beautiful light orange color.
- Now this is the fun part! To make the cheesy french bread, slice the bread up and place the slices a baking sheet or pan. Top the bread with shredded cheese. Broil until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted.
- Laddle the tomato bisque into each bowl. Top with cheesy bread or croutons. Easy right? Read above about toppings to make it like the picture below! Enjoy!
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS EASY TOMATO BISQUE
- Better than Bouillon Chicken Base ( You can also find it at Walmart) Dutch Oven
- Bella Hand Immersion Blender
- Tillamook Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
- Lodge 3.6 Qt Braiser
Easy Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup diced onions
- 1 celery stalk sliced thin
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 28 oz Can of Marzano Tomatoes
- 2 cups Chicken broth *I used Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
- 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ¼ tsp Dried basil,
- ¾ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder Plus a small pinch or two
- Cayenne pepper pinch or two (optional)
- salt and black pepper for taste
- 1 ½ cup Shredded Mozzarella, Cheese Tilamook Italian blend is my favorite cheese to use for this recipe
- Fresh parsley for garnishment
- French or Ciabatta bread
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter and heavy cream until melted and fully incorporated. Add the dried basil, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, if using. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, stirring until the bisque is smooth, creamy, and a beautiful light orange color.
- To make the cheesy bread, place slices of French or ciabatta bread on a baking sheet and top with shredded cheese.
- Ladle the tomato bisque into bowls and top with cheesy bread or croutons.
Notes
TOMATO BISQUE TOPPING IDEAS
Make your tomato bisque even better with one or more of these delicious toppings:- Buttery garlic croutons
- Cheesy French or ciabatta bread (see recipe instructions)
- Shredded Gruyère, Parmesan, or mozzarella cheese (I love using Tillamook Italian Blend)
- Fresh basil or parsley
- A swirl of heavy cream or crème fraîche
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
Store leftover tomato bisque in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. To Freeze: For best results, freeze the tomato bisque before adding the heavy cream. Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. When ready to serve, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator, reheat gently, and stir in the heavy cream just before serving.Don’t forget to save this tomato bisque soup recipe to your Pinterest or share it on Facebook.
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