Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe | I Can Cook That (2024)

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“The secret of good cooking is, first, having a love of it. … If you’re convinced that cooking is drudgery, you’re never going to be good at it, and you might as well warm up something frozen.”

– James Beard

James Beard is basically the father of American cooking as we know it today. He, along with the beloved Julia Child, is basically the “foodie” community’s version of The Beatles. As Julia Child put it, “in the beginning, there was James Beard.” So when I was offered to review a new compilation of some of his best recipes, I couldn’t wait to dig in. The cookbook, The Essential James Beard Cookbook: 450 Recipes That Shaped the Tradition of American Cooking is in stores beginning today.

Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe | I Can Cook That (2)

The cookbook is filled with what we think of today as quintessential recipes: coleslaw, potato salad, pot roast, chicken pot pie. But James Beard’s travels through France as well as inspiration from the Chinese cooks who worked at the hotel his mother owned. Each page is filled with both new and different recipes as well as classic approaches to everyday food (ex. roasting a chicken). The editors did a great job of going through and adding notes to help enhance the recipes as well, including insight into what an ingredient is and what can be substituted.

I really had a tough time choosing a recipe to do this post. It’s really tough to pinpoint what James Beard is known for, because, well, he’s known for everything! I finally settled on his Cream of Tomato Soup recipe.

This recipe, passed down from his mother, is a classic comfort food choice. I loved the idea of making a family recipe and was intrigued by the process. (The onset of Hurricane Sandy may also have had some input into my decision.)

Ingredients:

  • 2 28-oz cans of Italian plum tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 whole cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Chopped fresh basil or fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

This recipe is adapted from James Beard’s The Essential James Beard Cookbook

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To make, add the tomatoes, beef stock, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to a large pot.

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Bring to a simmer, cover, and lower heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Add the sugar and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

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If using an immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot. If using a blender, add half of the mixture to the blender at a time, remove the center of the top of the blender and cover with a paper towel. Be very careful, the mixture is really hot! Puree. Return to pot and repeat with the remaining mixture. Heat the mixture over medium heat.

Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe | I Can Cook That (8)
So frothy! My boyfriend asked if I was making Tomato Soap instead of Tomato Soup

Add the baking soda and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning.

Combine the melted butter and the flour to make a smooth paste. (Apparently this is called a Beurre manié.)

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Whisk this into the tomato mixture. Cook until slightly thickened.

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Whew. Looking more like soup again!

In a separate pot, heat the heavy cream to almost a boil.

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Slowly stir the cream into the tomato puree. Heat over low heat. Serve topped with chopped basil or parsley.

What a perfect treat on a rainy day (or any cold day). I naturally paired this with grilled cheese and couldn’t be happier!

The soup was so silky and inexplicably light tasting despite the 2 cups of heavy cream. It was such a comforting soup, you almost picture a parent standing at the stove ladling this our for you after coming in from the cold weather.

I had this reheated the next day and it tastes even better after the flavors have a chance to settle.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That

Adapted from The Essential James Beard Cookbook: 450 Recipes That Shaped the Tradition of American Cooking

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Soup

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 28- oz cans of Italian plum tomatoes undrained
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 1 small yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 2 whole cloves smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Chopped fresh basil or fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • To make, add the tomatoes, beef stock, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to a large pot.

  • Bring to a simmer, cover, and lower heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.

  • Add the sugar and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

  • If using an immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot. If using a blender, add half of the mixture to the blender at a time, remove the center of the top of the blender and cover with a paper towel. Be very careful, the mixture is really hot!

  • Puree. Return to pot and repeat with the remaining mixture. Heat the mixture over medium heat.

  • So frothy! My boyfriend asked if I was making Tomato Soap instead of Tomato Soup

  • Add the baking soda and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning.

  • Combine the melted butter and the flour to make a smooth paste.

  • Whisk this into the tomato mixture. Cook until slightly thickened.

  • In a separate pot, heat the heavy cream to almost a boil.

  • Slowly stir the cream into the tomato puree. Heat over low heat. Serve topped with chopped basil or parsley.

Notes

If you make this recipe, share a photo on Instagram and tag me@icancookthat!

Keyword Cream, James Beard, Soup, Tomato

Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe | I Can Cook That (2024)

FAQs

How do you add cream to tomato soup without curdling? ›

To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup. Heat the tomato mixture and cream separately, then slowly add tomatoes to the cream near the end of the cooking process. Once mixed, heat the mixture gently to 180 degrees. Do not boil.

What's the difference between creamy tomato soup and tomato soup? ›

But what about cream of tomato soup? Any “cream of” soup, tomato included, is pureed like a normal soup but then goes through a “creaming” process, wherein cream is added to the mixture. Cream of tomato soup is actually cooked at a much lower temperature than normal tomato soup.

How do you thicken cream of tomato soup? ›

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

What is cream of tomato soup made of? ›

Add tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Add the cream to the soup and process it in a blender (small batches work best).

How do you keep cream from curdling when cooking? ›

Follow the below tips to avoid curdling of cream:
  1. Always use cream which is at room temperature.
  2. Beat the cream before adding it to any dish.
  3. Bring the flame to lowest possible when adding cream.
  4. Add cream with one hand and keep stirring the dish.
Jul 9, 2019

How to add cream to soup without curdling? ›

Here's some tips to prevent curdling:
  1. Prepare a warm milk/flour mixture to add to hot soup.
  2. Stir some hot soup liquid into cold dairy product to temper it, then add to the soup.
  3. Do not boil the soup after adding any dairy product, especially cheese.
  4. Add acid to the milk instead of milk into the acid.
Dec 15, 2016

Why does my tomato soup taste watery? ›

Tomatoes have a high water content, and the addition of broth and cold water can lead to a thin tomato soup, especially when you're making the dish in a slow cooker. Here are a few tips that will help you prevent a watery tomato soup: Drain the liquid from canned tomatoes.

Does tomato soup taste better with water or milk? ›

Is tomato soup better with milk or water? Tomato soup is better with milk because it makes it creamier.

Is tomato bisque better than tomato soup? ›

While both are delicious, they are quite different, especially when it comes to the texture. Tomato bisque is thicker and creamier in texture, and calls for the use of milk and/or cream.

What to add to tomato soup? ›

10 Simple Ingredients to Add to Tomato Soup
  1. 1) Fresh Rosemary. Kicking off the list is the simplest way to jazz up your tomato soup – fresh herbs. ...
  2. 2) Sauteed Onions. ...
  3. 3) Crispy Bacon. ...
  4. 4) Cream. ...
  5. 5) Chutney. ...
  6. 6) Melted Cheese. ...
  7. 7) Tinned Anchovies. ...
  8. 8) Toasted Pine Nuts.
Mar 21, 2022

How to add egg to soup without curdling? ›

Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.

Is cream of tomato soup healthy? ›

Tomato soup may offer numerous health benefits, including cancer-fighting properties and improved fertility in men. It may also benefit heart, skin, and bone health, among others. These benefits are mainly due to the many plant compounds in tomatoes.

What type of tomato is best for tomato soup? ›

What tomatoes are best for homemade tomato soup? I like to use plum or roma tomatoes for homemade tomato soup because they have the best flavor when roasted. I recommend using garden fresh or organic to keep the soup as flavorful as possible!

Why did my cream curdle in my tomato soup? ›

If your sauce or soup contains an acidic ingredient like wine, tomatoes, or lemon juice, the milk is more likely to curdle.

How do you prevent curdling of cream in tomato soup? ›

Temper the milk before adding it to the soup by gradually adding small amounts of the hot liquid, warming the milk slowly; then add it to the soup. Add a little heavy cream to the soup to help prevent curdling. In milk-based soups, add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes and lemon juice, to the milk mixture.

How to add cream to tomato sauce without curdling? ›

One common method to prevent your creamy ingredients from curdling is to stabilize the sauce by starting with a roux, which is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat (often butter).

How do you keep heavy cream from separating in soup? ›

To avoid this, Recipe Tips stresses that you should never add these ingredients to a boiling soup. Turn the soup down to a simmer before adding the ingredients, then leave it on low heat until finished. Additionally, it may be wise to gradually heat your cream products before adding them, so the change is less drastic.

How to add heavy cream to soup? ›

When you want to add a cold liquid to a hot liquid you must temper the cold one beforehand. Start by pouring the cold liquid, in this case cream, into a container and then ladle some of the hot liquid, soup, into it. Stir the two together, to raise the temperature of the cream, and then pour it into the hot soup.

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