This creamy tomato bisque is the ultimate comfort food with its silky texture and rich tomato flavor. Made with simple ingredients and ready in about 35 minutes, this soup tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant but comes together easily in your own kitchen.
If you love tomato-based soups, you’ll also want to try my tomato basil soup and roasted tomato soup. For even more cozy comfort food ideas, browse my complete collection of Soups, Stews, and Chili recipes.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
- Use room temperature cream. Adding cold cream directly to hot soup can cause it to curdle and separate. Let your half-and-half or heavy cream sit on the counter while you cook, or warm it gently in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before stirring it into the soup.
- Choose your tomatoes wisely. Canned petite diced tomatoes are the easiest option and give consistent results year-round. If you prefer fresh tomatoes, you’ll need to roast them first to concentrate their flavor. Use 2-3 pounds of fresh tomatoes, cube them, and roast at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Don’t skip the brown sugar. It balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes without adding too much sweetness to the soup. This small amount makes a big difference in creating a well-rounded, balanced flavor.
How to Make Tomato Bisque
Step 1: Build the Aromatic Base
Start by melting butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent (5-7 minutes). This creates the flavor foundation.
Add garlic, basil, and oregano once the onions are tender so the garlic doesn’t burn. Sauté for just 1 minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This creates a light roux that will thicken your bisque and give it body.
** Pro Tip: Dried herbs work best in soups because they rehydrate and infuse the liquid with concentrated flavor. Fresh herbs can be used, but you’ll need about 3 times the amount. I like fresh herbs as a garnish.
Step 2: Simmer the Soup
Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, then add the canned tomatoes with their juices, brown sugar, and bay leaf.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking or scorching on the bottom.
You’ll know it’s ready when the flavors have melded and the soup smells rich and aromatic.
** Quick Note: Stirring regularly is important here. The flour-thickened base can stick, so give it a stir every 5 minutes or so.
Step 3: Make It Creamy and Smooth
Remove the pot from heat and discard the bay leaf. This step is important because you don’t want to add cream while the pot is still on direct heat.
Slowly stir in the half-and-half or heavy cream. Pour it in gradually to help it incorporate smoothly and prevent any temperature shock.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth and velvety. If using a regular blender, work in batches and cover the lid with a tea towel to protect from steam pressure.
** Pro Tip: For the richest, creamiest bisque, use heavy cream. Half-and-half works well for a lighter version, but heavy cream gives you that restaurant-quality texture and flavor.
** Texture Adjustment: If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little bit of extra broth or cream at the end until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 4: Season and Serve
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. The soup should be rich, slightly sweet, and balanced.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, a drizzle of cream, grated Parmesan, or homemade croutons.
Variations and Customizations
- Make it vegetarian or vegan: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. For a vegan dish, swap butter for olive oil and use full-fat coconut milk instead of cream.
- Add roasted vegetables: Roast tomatoes with red bell peppers, onions, and garlic for 20-25 minutes at 450°F before adding to the soup for extra depth.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the herbs or a dash of hot sauce before serving.
- Go gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour with cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons mixed with 1-2 tablespoons cold broth or cold water first to make a slurry).
- Boost the richness: Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste with the flour for deeper tomato flavor.
What to Serve with Tomato Bisque
- The classic pairing: grilled cheese sandwiches
- Crusty French bread or a warm baguette
- Cornbread croutons or regular croutons for texture
- A simple green salad with buttermilk dressing
- Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits
Turned out just like the picture and absolutely delicious! Will make again.
– Catherine
Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth or cream if it thickens too much.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The cream can separate and create an undesirable texture when thawed.
- Make-ahead: You can make the soup base (through the simmering step) up to 2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator, then reheat, add the cream, and blend before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque?
Tomato bisque is a type of tomato soup, but it’s richer and creamier. While regular tomato soup often has a thinner, broth-based consistency, bisque is smooth, velvety, and made with heavy cream and thickened with a roux. The use of cream and the smooth, pureed texture are what set bisque apart.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
Yes, but you’ll need to roast them first. Use 2-3 pounds of fresh tomatoes (about 4-6 large, 6-8 medium, or 8-12 Roma tomatoes). Cube them, spread them on a baking sheet, and roast at 450°F for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add them and their juices to the soup as directed.
How do I keep the cream from curdling?
The key is temperature. Remove the pot from the heat before adding the cream, and make sure your cream is at room temperature (not cold from the fridge). Stir it in slowly and gently. These steps prevent temperature shock that causes curdling.
What makes a bisque creamy and smooth?
Two things: the cream and the blending. Using heavy cream or half-and-half adds richness, while pureeing the soup until completely smooth creates that signature velvety texture. An immersion blender makes this easy, but a regular blender works too.
Can I make this soup less acidic?
Absolutely. The brown sugar helps, but if you’re still sensitive to acidity, add carrots. Sauté diced carrots with the onions or simmer a halved carrot in the soup. Once blended, they balance the acidity without affecting the flavor.
What can I use to thicken tomato bisque?
This recipe uses a flour-based roux (butter and flour cooked together) to thicken the soup. If you need a gluten-free option, use cornstarch mixed with cold broth or cold water to create a slurry, then stir it in.
Related Recipes
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Tomato Bisque
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves)
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (28 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half), at room temperature
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, Dutch oven, or soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender but not browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, and oregano; sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour; cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes with their juices, brown sugar, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir the pot regularly to make sure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t scorch and nothing sticks.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Slowly stir in the half-and-half or cream.
- Use a handheld immersion blender (or a regular blender) to puree the soup until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little bit of extra broth or cream at the end until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Notes
- For a richer bisque, use heavy cream instead of half-and-half.
- Let the cream come to room temperature before adding it to the soup to prevent curdling. Remove the pot from the heat first.
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option; use olive oil and coconut milk for vegan.
- If using a regular blender, work in batches and cover the lid with a tea towel to protect from steam.
- Cut acidity by adding diced or halved carrots during cooking. They blend in without affecting flavor.
- Brown sugar balances acidity without adding too much sweetness.
- To use fresh tomatoes, roast 2-3 pounds at 450°F for 20-25 minutes before adding.
- Dried herbs work best for soups. If using fresh, triple the amount.
- For gluten-free, replace flour with a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of cold broth or water).
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Do not freeze, as cream can separate.
Nutrition
Originally published in November, 2019, this post was updated in December, 2025.
Turned out just like the picture and absolutely delicious! Will make again.
Thank you, Catherine! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Just made this tonight. Perfect for these unusual freezing temps in Va. I used crushed tomatoes instead of diced because I didn’t feel like digging out my rarely used immersion blender. Easy and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ouida! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.