Simple 6 Ingredient 6 Minute Creamy Tomato Soup from Scratch is about as quick and wholesome a lunch as you can make. Enjoy the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup pairing without the additives or preservatives found in canned versions.
Aside from a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, few childhood lunches are as iconic as grilled cheese with tomato soup. The familiar ritual—dunking a corner of sandwich into a warm bowl, aiming to keep the rest of the bread delightfully crisp—is universal.
Tomato soup usually plays the supporting role, but it doesn’t have to. Traditional tomato soups made from whole tomatoes often require long simmering to develop deep flavor, which in a household with impatient kids can feel like an eternity.
This recipe delivers a silky, full-bodied tomato soup with bright, fresh flavor in the same time it takes to open and dilute a can. That means you can have both grilled cheese and soup ready at once.
Many recipes either take too long, rely on tomato paste or ketchup that flattens the flavor, or ask for hard-to-find ingredients. This version is fast, flavorful, and made from fresh vegetables and canned tomatoes you can buy year-round. It’s also kid-approved.
This soup is made entirely in the blender: half a small onion, a peeled garlic clove, a carrot halved, and a celery stalk with leaves. I often skip peeling organic carrots—I scrub and trim them instead—which is perfectly fine here.
To those fresh vegetables add a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice and a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs (or a plain can plus dried herbs). Secure the blender lid tightly—hot tomato soup under pressure can splatter—then blend on high for about six minutes, or until steam escapes from the blender’s vent.
If you want the classic, familiar childhood flavor, add about 1/2 to 1 cup of milk and blend an additional 45 seconds until thoroughly heated. For a richer finish, drizzle heavy cream into bowls just before serving or add a spoonful of crème fraîche as a garnish for company.
The soup is excellent on its own: full of real tomato, rounded by carrot and celery, and extremely smooth. The carrot performs two useful jobs: it softens the tomatoes’ acidity without added sugars, and it provides body so you don’t need thickeners like flour or cornstarch—making this naturally allergy-friendly and gluten-free.
Dressing the soup with cream or crème fraîche is optional. Dunking grilled cheese is mandatory.
Cook’s Notes
- You can substitute an equivalent amount of home-canned tomatoes if you have them. Store-bought diced tomatoes work very well—choose a brand whose flavor you enjoy.
- If you can’t find diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, use a 14.5-ounce can of plain diced tomatoes and add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning plus 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
- I don’t list salt in the recipe because many canned tomatoes contain salt. Taste the finished soup and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time if you feel it needs more, blending after each addition.
- The carrot reduces tomato acidity without adding processed sugars and gives the soup thickness naturally, so there’s no need for flours or starches—great for allergy-friendly cooking.
- The soup will be a little frothy straight out of the blender, which many people enjoy. If you prefer a less frothy texture, let it rest 10 minutes and stir before serving.
- This recipe was tested in high-powered blenders (Blendtec and Vitamix) and produced velvety-smooth, piping-hot soup. When removing the lid, take care—steam will be present.
- Stored in a tightly sealed container, the soup keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days and reheats well.
Tools used to make Simple 6 Ingredient 6 Minute Creamy Tomato Soup
- High-speed blender such as a Blendtec or Vitamix (other high-power blenders may also work).
Look how easy it is to make 6 Minute 6 Ingredient Tomato Soup from Scratch
Simple 6 Ingredient 6 Minute Tomato Soup
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a small onion peeled and trimmed
- 1 large celery stalk leaves preferred
- 1 medium to large carrot scrubbed, trimmed, halved
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 1 can diced tomatoes in juice 28 ounces
- 1 can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs 14.5 ounces (or plain diced tomatoes + 1 tsp Italian seasoning + 1/2 tsp dried basil)
Optional for serving:
- 1/2 to 1 cup milk and/or heavy cream or crème fraîche
Instructions
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Add the onion, celery stalk, carrot, garlic clove, and both cans of tomatoes with their liquid into the blender. Secure the lid carefully and blend on HIGH for 6 minutes, or until steam is visible from the blender vent. If using milk, add it and blend on HIGH for 45 seconds or until hot all the way through.
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If desired, drizzle heavy cream or stir in crème fraîche just before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 1g
Sodium: 9mg
Potassium: 47mg
Vitamin A: 1295IU
Vitamin C: 1.2mg
Calcium: 6mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with the actual ingredients you use if needed.
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