Grandma's Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-07 · Updated 2026-04-07

A simple, comforting tomato soup made from fresh ingredients and simmered to perfection, capturing the essence of childhood comfort food. This american-inspired soups ready in about 50 minutes pairs olive oil, large, diced yellow onion, peeled and diced carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 2, peeled and diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 4 cloves, minced garlic
• 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• for garnish fresh basil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
2. Step 2: Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried basil, and dried oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Step 3: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches. Return to pot and stir in the heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
4. Step 4: Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves.