Easy Tomato Soup (from Tomato Sauce)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Aug 4, 2026 
Ever since I started making this homemade Creamy Tomato Soup, I haven’t looked back at the canned version. It’s wonderfully rich, silky smooth, and incredibly easy to make, with a deep tomato flavor that’s perfect for dipping grilled cheese or crusty bread. It’s one of those comforting recipes I come back to again and again.
If you love classic creamy tomato soup, but don’t have quite the time to make our creamy roasted tomato soup, we’ve got the perfect dish for you. This easy and delicious tomato soup from tomato sauce is perfect for those days when you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand. All you need is three pantry staples and a couple of basic aromatic spices, and you’ll have this delightfully rustic soup ready in under 15 minutes! This recipe makes the perfect cozy bowl to snuggle up with when you’re craving something that’s comforting and filling, without being too heavy. I love to top it off with a toasted slice of bread, or if I’m feeling in a more decadent mood, a really gooey melted grilled cheese that I can dunk into this tangy bowl of tomato goodness!
Elaine – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hands-down the easiest tomato soup I’ve ever made, but so much better than the canned stuff from the store. My whole family loved this recipe!
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Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Delicious and Easy – If you don’t have ready-to-use canned (or boxed) tomato soup in your pantry, but you do happen to have canned tomato sauce, you can make an amazing silky-smooth tomato soup in less than 15 minutes. You need just 3 pantry staples and a few basic spices for a creamy soup that’s delightfully rustic and delicious. (And made without an immersion blender!)
Versatile – This old fashioned creamy tomato soup is perfect to pair with grilled cheese sandwiches and all kinds of comfort foods. Or dress it up with additional herbs and spices for more of a refined, tomato bisque taste. However you serve it, this robust vegetarian super soup is always a big hit!
Great for Meal Prep – My top recommendation is to ALWAYS make a big batch of this fool-proof soup and then divvy it up into individual containers. Like my chicken noodle soup recipe, it makes a wonderfully nutritious lunch or dinner that you can heat up in a jiffy! You can also freeze this soup and enjoy it later on when the weather gets colder.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Canned tomato sauce – Meet the star of the show! The key to making this quick and easy soup is using a canned tomato sauce as the base. I usually keep a few cans in the pantry for impromptu pasta dishes and chili. You can use either the regular kind or an unsalted version, just make sure that you are NOT using tomato paste or a pasta sauce!
- Vegetable broth – Veggie broth adds a ton of savoriness and depth to this soup. It also helps balance out all of the acidity from the tomato sauce. You can swap in chicken broth if you prefer.
- Spices – For some aromatics and depth of flavors, I use a medley of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper… Most likely these are all in your spice rack.
- Heavy cream – I like to use a splash of heavy cream or half and half. It gives the soup that creamy, silky texture I love! You can splash in a little… or a lot!
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Combine ingredients – All you need to make this soup is to combine the tomato sauce, veggie broth, and seasonings into a pot over medium-high heat. Mix these up really well until everything is smooth.
Simmer – Then, let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes until it has thickened. Always keep stirring so that the sauce doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot, and create a weird singed flavor!
Make it creamy – When the soup is ready, I like to finish it off with a splash of heavy cream to create a silky texture! I offer measurements in the recipe form below, but you can add as much cream as you want. Just remember, the more you add, the less the tomato-y the soup will taste.
Pour some soup into your favorite bowl and you’re ready to enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Broth – Swap vegetarian veggie broth with chicken broth or bullion, if you prefer. You can also use water and vegetable base instead of buying pre-made broth.
- Spices – Feel free to jazz up your batch of tomato soup with other vibrant spices like cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, spicy cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes. Also, try my roasted red pepper soup for a spicy take on a classic.
- Extra Tomatoes – Totally obsessed with tomatoes? I don’t blame you! Add a can of diced tomatoes along with the canned tomato sauce for a no-blend chunky soup with great tomato flavor.
- Protein – Add more protein by tossing in shredded cooked chicken or topping the soup with cooked chopped bacon or cooked crumbled sausage before serving.
- Fancy toppings – Drizzle chili oil or crema over each bowl of soup. Or sprinkle the top with fried onions, scallions, or oyster crackers. See more ideas below!
Serving Suggestions
Top warm bowls of tomato soup with slices of fresh basil leaves, rosemary, thyme, or other fresh herbs. For a more Tex-Mex-style soup, consider sprinkling on some fresh chopped cilantro. You can also sprinkle on some grated parmesan cheese for some restaurant-style flair.
Make a meal of this soup and serve it with toasty slices of baguette or hunks of bread. Or toss in a handful of crunchy croutons, or all of the above! (Ok maybe not… But you gotta admit it sounds good!)
And, of course, zesty, rich and creamy tomato soup is perfect to pair with a classic grilled cheese sandwich, cheese toasties, or gooey cheesy shrimp quesadillas!
Storing
This recipe is great to make ahead and enjoy for several days! Cool the soup completely before transferring it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
If you plan to freeze, I suggest leaving out the heavy cream until you are ready to reheat and serve. Let the soup cool and transfer to an airtight container. Then wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two ways to thicken up this soup. The first, is to let it simmer until it starts to develop a thicker consistency. The second, is to add in a dollop of tomato paste. That always helps but it makes the soup taste a bit more tangy.
Yes! If you can a 6 oz can of tomato paste, simply add it to the post along with another 1 1/2 cups of broth. This will make a tomato sauce substitute with a very similar flavor.
More Simply Delicious Soup Recipes
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Easy Tomato Soup from Tomato Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 30 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set a 4 quart sauce pot over medium-high heat. Pour the canned tomato sauce, vegetable broth, onion powder, and garlic powder into the pot. Stir well.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce and thicken. Stir occasionally.
- Turn off the heat, and stir in the heavy cream. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. You can add an additional splash of heavy cream for extra creamy tomato soup, if you like. Serve warm
Pleased with the results and easy to make. I needed tomato soup and ,go figure, I didn’t have one. I had these ingredients though.
Thank you so much, Christine! I’m so glad it turned out easy and that it came together with what you had on hand.
Quick & Easy I used chicken stock and sprinkled a little bit of dry basil.
No more store bought tomatoe soup for me. Can’t wait with grilled cheese.
Absolutely awsum. Gluten Free, Fat Free.
I was pleasantly surprised by how yummy this soup was! I will definitely be making it again.
Hands-down the easiest tomato soup I’ve ever made, but so much better than the canned stuff from the store. My whole family loved this recipe!
I’ve been craving a cozy bowl of tomato soup for weeks and I’m so glad I found this recipe! I made it tonight and it was delicious!