Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque – Stovetop Recipe

Creamy tomato basil bisque is loaded with fresh tomatoes and just the right balance of basil, parmesan, and balsamic vinegar. Made on the stovetop in just over an hour, this tomato basil soup is smooth and creamy, with all the flavor of a rich tomato bisque. A taste of summer that is perfect for a rainy afternoon.

Tomato Bisque Recipe

When it comes to making homemade soup, creamy tomato basil bisque is by far one of my favorites. It’s a perfect way to use end-of-summer tomatoes and can be canned or frozen for longer storage.

In this soup, the fresh tomato flavor is balanced with basil, parmesan, balsamic, and cream. The sweet acidity of the tomatoes, the tang of the vinegar, and the nutty parmesan cheese combine as a match made for my taste buds’ dreams.

Serve it cold on a hot summer day, or serve it hot on a cold, wet day. I like mine best when paired with a grilled cheese sandwich for a delicious weekday lunch.

What You’ll Need

Any time an ingredient list goes into the double digits, it can start to look intimidating, but don’t let that stop you! Many of these ingredients can be found in a well-stocked pantry, but if you don’t have them yet, you’ll find many other ways to use them. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Avocado oil – The go-to oil in my kitchen, I find it to be more versatile because it withstands higher heat than olive oil, although that will work just fine in this recipe.
• Onion – Sweet onion provides a more delicate flavor, while white onion will give a bit more of a bite. I wouldn’t use red onion.
• Garlic – An aromatic that adds flavor. Garlic lovers, you have my permission to double it.
• Kosher salt – Morton is the choice for my pantry, so adjust as you see fit.
• Ground pepper – Freshly ground packs more flavor and is what I used to develop this recipe. If using pre-ground, you may want to add more.
• Roma tomatoes – A dense plum tomato, perfect for creating a rich, flavorful bisque.
• Vegetable stock – Adds flavor and nuance to our soup, the flavors most dominant in your stock will be noticeable in the final soup.
• Balsamic vinegar – Adds acidity and sweetness.
• Bay leaves – Whole bay leaves add an aromatic that, in my opinion, takes it to the next level. If you don’t like them, leave them out.
• Fresh basil – One of the few herbs that I will encourage you not to swap for dried, as I find the flavors in this delicate herb change too much. If you do need a swap, try adding jarred pesto instead.
• Heavy cream – It’s not a bisque without the heavy cream, but it doesn’t take a lot to get the rich flavor and creamy texture.
• Cornstarch – Used to thicken our soup, it’s combined with the cream to make a slurry before going into the pot.
• Parmesan – Adds flavor and helps to thicken the soup. It’s going to melt the best when grated fresh from the block with a microplane.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

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• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• cutting board
• chef’s knife
• 6 quart or larger dutch oven or soup pot
• mixing spoon
• immersion blender
• microplane

How to Make Tomato Basil Bisque

Making this tomato basil bisque is fairly simple and straightforward. Let me walk you through it.

• Prep the ingredients – Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. Chop onion and garlic. Julienne the basil. Grab the rest of your ingredients and ensure you have the appropriate tools and utensils.
• Heat a 6 quart or larger pot on the stove over a medium flame, add the oil, then add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the onions are fragrant and starting to turn a translucent golden color, add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
• Add the salt, pepper, tomatoes, vegetable stock, vinegar, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, drop heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• After 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves and puree the soup with a stick blender until smooth.
• Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the cold whipping cream, stirring to dissolve completely.
• Add the cornstarch slurry, grated parmesan, and basil into the soup, stirring to combine. Cover and allow to cook on low for an additional 15 minutes to thicken the soup.
• Serve garnished with additional parmesan, a drizzle of cream, and a sprig of fresh basil, as desired.

Cooking Method – Stove Top

In the quest for rich tomato goodness, I’ve used the slow cooker, the stovetop, and even an Instant Pot. After all that testing, my go-to method for this recipe is the stovetop. What I really like the most about using this method is the amount of control you have over the results while minimizing the amounts of pots and pans used.

With the slow cooker, I had to cook the garlic and onions in a separate pan. The Instant Pot kept giving me burn notices and made it impossible to see the results as they were happening. Both devices made it feel like more work without much more benefit.

On the stovetop, you can watch as the tomatoes cook down, taking on a richer, almost meaty flavor and developing a deeper color. It’s also easier to adjust the seasoning as you go. Allow time for it to simmer for at least an hour to let the flavors develop, but if you can make it early and let it simmer longer, the flavors will be that much richer.

Making the Creamiest Tomato Basil Soup

In the world of tomato soups, there are many opinions about how to do it right. So, I tried quite a few of them. I’ve roasted the tomatoes, blanched and peeled them, and tossed them in whole, skins and seeds in all.

The thing I found to be true is that while many of them are right, none of them are exactly wrong. It all comes down to personal preference. This recipe, however, is for creamy tomato basil bisque, so I’m going to focus on what gives the creamiest results, which means it’s totally worth it to peel and seed the tomatoes.

Peeling the Tomatoes

The easiest way to peel tomatoes is to score, blanche, ice bath, then peel. If all of that sounds like culinary jargon, allow me to explain.

The first step is to score the tomatoes, which is a fancy way of saying that you are going to use a paring knife to pierce the skin at the bottom of the tomato, creating an X. This will give the skins a breaking point, allowing them to fall off after the tomatoes are blanched.

Blanching simply means that you boil for a short period of time. We are going to follow the blanching with an ice bath, which will stop the cooking process immediately. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and set up a bowl of ice water next to it. Working with 3 – 4 tomatoes at a time, place the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 45 – 60 seconds. Then, immediately place them in the ice water for a minute or two to cool completely.

As you remove the tomatoes from the ice bath, the skins should fall off in your hands. If they stick, gently peel them off. They should come away quickly and easily, leaving you with whole peeled tomatoes.

Removing the Tomato Seeds

Whether or not to remove the seeds is a question that is asked a lot. While most people agree to remove them, their reasoning isn’t quite right. Many resources claim the seeds are bitter and make the soup taste bad, but I cannot agree with this statement.

I find the seeds to be tannic and loaded with flavor, flavor that you shouldn’t discard unless necessary. (I leave the seeds in for my homemade spaghetti sauce and marinara.)

That said, I do agree with removing the seeds for this soup because our goal is CREAMY tomato basil bisque. When left in, the seeds add a bit of crunch to an otherwise smooth soup. While a powerful blender may be able to break them up, I find the results are better when you remove them.

After you peel the tomatoes, simply slice them in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. It’s quite easy to do, and it’s worth the extra step.

When to Serve and How to Store

This rich, creamy tomato basil bisque is full of tangy tomato flavor with a smooth texture. It’s a great way to use up a surplus of Roma tomatoes and can be canned or frozen to come back to all fall and winter long. It makes a great first course for a dinner party, but it also makes a delicious lunch.

Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it, or use proper canning techniques for shelf-stable storage.

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More Delicious Tomato Recipes

• Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Ricotta
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
• Tomato Burrata Salad
• Veggie Couscous Salad

More Soup Recipes:

• Easy Butternut Squash Soup with Dumplings
• Parsnip Potato Soup
• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Butternut Squash Apple Soup