Tomato-Basil Soup with Creamy Finish

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-03 · Updated 2026-04-03

A comforting tomato soup with a silky cream finish, infused with fresh basil and garlic. This italian-inspired soups ready in about 60 minutes pairs (24 oz each) canned crushed tomatoes, medium, diced onion, minced garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 200 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 cans (24 oz each) canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 2, diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup, fresh, chopped basil leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the mixture thickens.
3. Step 3: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Step 4: Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the soup is silky and fragrant.
5. Step 5: Serve hot, optionally garnished with additional basil leaves.