One of the great joys in life is a delicious, rich bowl of Tomato Bisque. Now I’m not talking about the canned variety of tomato soup that we all grew up on. I’m talking about a restaurant-style bisque that will have you moaning with every spoonful.
I do have to warn you, that once your friends and family taste this bisque there’s no turning back to the canned variety of tomato soup. But the good news is, my Tomato Bisque is easy to make and freezes well, so you can make up a big batch!
What do I need to Make Tomato Bisque?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Tomato Bisque. In chef speak we call that the Mise en Place, or everything in its place.
This is a good practice to get into whenever you cook. Not only does it speed up the process but it ensures you have everything you need to make the dish.
Soups are really easy to make with almost no rules or essential ingredients. In the old days, soups were made out of scraps and foods we wanted to make of use of before they went bad. I think this is were the true kitchen artisans showed their skills making nothing into something delicious.
The problem we run into these days is making something out of what’s on hand is having everyone loving it so much that they want you to make it again. That my friends is why we have recipes.
The first step in creating my Tomato Bisque is how I start most cream soups. I start with butter, chopped onions and celery (and sometimes carrots or peppers). After sauteing the onions and celery for about 5 minutes, I then add the flour to make a roux.
I use my favorite 6 qt. Copper Core 5-ply All-Clad pot for this soup. It’s classified as a roaster and is a great pan for use in your kitchen!
A roux (pronounced ROO) is an important part of many soups and sauces. In this soup, the roux is used as a thickener and a way to make the soup smooth and velvety. A roux helps with consistency and texture and can turn a lackluster dish into a culinary masterpiece.
This is my recommended wire whisk if you need one for your kitchen.
What is a Roux?
There are three basic types of roux: white, blonde and brown. They all contain the same ingredients, equal parts flour and butter. The difference in color (and flavor) depends on how long you cook the mixture.
- White roux is the most common and it has the most thickening power. This is the basic ingredient in a bechamel sauce and cream soups. You only need to cook the roux long enough to eliminate the flour’s raw flavor, about 5 minutes.
- Blonde roux is caramel colored and will have a nuttier flavor. It is cooked for about 10 minutes. This is the type of roux you would use to make a velouté and is also used in making soups. This is my favorite type of roux. **One way to know you’ve cooked it long enough is the roux will start to smell a little like bread as the flour cooks.
- Brown roux is the darkest. This roux can be cooked for as long as 30 minutes. The trick to making this roux successfully is to stir it constantly to keep it from burning. This type of roux will sometimes use vegetable oil instead of butter because it has a higher smoke point. What you’ll end up with is a maple-colored roux that won’t thicken dishes as well as the other two types, but it is has a more pronounced flavor. This is the type of roux used in Cajun dishes.
Adding hot stock to the roux creates a Veloute. This alone could be called a poor man’s cream soup. The addition of cream or milk adds body to the soup making a hybrid type of bechamel sauce which is how I like to make my cream soups.
There is actually very little cream or milk in most of my creamed soups. The cream changes the texture, color and mouthfeel. But using too much can detract from the overall flavor and mouthfeel, so don’t overdo the cream!
After the stock has been fully incorporated into the roux you can add the other ingredients to the veloute.
Chef Dennis Tip:
Use a rubber spatula to make sure you get in all the corners of the pot to release any roux that may be stuck in the pan.
Once the veloute is ready, add in the tomatoes and seasonings. Mix well and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Using an immersion blender or a traditional blender puree the soup until smooth.
I absolutely love my Waring Professional Immersion Blender. I have had two less powerful household units that both burned out. This professional immersion blender has been going strong for 5 years already and shows no signs of slowing up.
When you take into account how much I spent on the two that broke down this immersion blender is not really that expensive, and its a kitchen tool you’ll come to depend on.
The nest step is straining the bits and pieces of celery, onions and tomato out of the soup so its smooth and creamy. There really wasn’t much left after the immersion blender did its thing.
Do I have to strain Tomato Bisque?
No, you don’t. If you don’t a few chunks it’s perfectly acceptable not to strain the bisque.
The last step in creating this ah-mazingly delicious Tomato Bisque is adding the cream and the cheese.
What you end up with is an incredibly flavorful Tomato Bisque. It’s rich flavor and velvety smooth texture will make a tomato soup lover out of anyone. And trust me you’ll never reach for that red and white can again!
If you love soups you may also like these recipes:
- Cream of Broccoli with Roasted Tomatoes and Cheddar
- Italian Wedding Soup with Tortellini
- Lobster Chowder
- Manhattan Clam Chowder
- Sausage and Bean Minestra
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 cup celery small dice
- 1 cup onions small dice
- ¼ lb unsalted butter 8 tablespoons (1 stick)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)
- 6 cups whole plum tomatoes (canned) San Marzano if possible
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt add more to taste.
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese *add more if you like a cheesier soup
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan. Add celery and onions.
- Allow the onions and celery to cook for a few minutes until they turn semi-translucent.
- Add the flour to the pan to make a roux.
- Turn down the heat and allow the veggies and roux to cook for about 5 minutes, do not let the roux get too dark or burn.
- Heat the stock in another saucepan.
- Let the roux mixture cook for 5-7 minutes (the flour should begin to smell a little like bread) then add the stock to the roux, use a wire whip and mix well.
- Add the tomatoes and seasonings and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- If you have an immersion blender after the bisque has simmered use your immersion blender to puree as much of the product as possible, you can also transfer it to a food processor or blender, just be very careful with the hot bisque.
- After you have either used an immersion blender or food processor, strain your bisque to remove all the bits and pieces of celery, onions, and tomatoes.
- Return the bisque to the pot and add the heavy cream and fold in the shredded cheddar.
- At this time if the bisque appears to thick you can either add more vegetable stock, milk, or just plain water.
- Taste the soup and re-season if necessary, then allow the soup to simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Lynn
Can this soup be frozen after the cheese and cream are added?
Chef Dennis Littley
yes it can. You may need to thin it out when you reheat the soup.
Linda
So darn delicious, I can not believe I made it myself! I truly did not in ant to share any of the soup, but guilt took over and my family now calls me CL for Chef Linda
Do I really have to tell them it was your recipe?
Chef Dennis Littley
LOL…. no you don’t just keep coming back and find more recipes to amaze them with!
Deb
I hope to make this soon. My favorite tomato bisque i discovered in a restaurant located in an antique store. It is out of business now, and I have been wanting to find a recipe that was as good as the one they served. They added sliced mushrooms to their bisque, which I thought was unusual, but it was very good! I hope I like your recipe just as much!
Naomi LaForte
Yellow cheddar or white cheddar?
Alex
My family loved it! The only change I had to make was to add basil since I did not use San Marzano tomatoes which contain basil. This recipe will be added to our dinner rotation.
Peggy Wright
I have made your bisque several times and love it! However you might want to correct the amount of butter in the recipe… you have it listed as a 1/4 pound of butter instead of tablespoons.
Michelle Lowe
Made this soup. For first time tonight with grilled cheese will never eat can tomato soup again it was so good.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you enjoy my tomato soup, Michelle, it is delicious!
Clarissa and John Sullivan
This soup is amazing! The first time we made it, we did it exactly as the instructions state–would rate it a 6 star on a 5 star scale. The second time we made it, we added couple cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of dried basil leaves–delish. We have made this soup every week for almost a month now.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the soup recipe. It’s fun to add your own touches to recipes and I appreciate the great review!!
Lauren
Just made a half recipe tonight for my husband’s birthday to go with some grilled cheese. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand already, but I didn’t have whole tomatoes, only a can of crushed tomatoes, so I used that instead and it worked just fine. I also decided not to strain it, since there wasn’t any seeds or anything to worry about. It was absolutely delicious and paired very well with the grilled cheese sandwich with avocado and sautéed shallots.
Ariel
About how many people will this serve? Thinking of this for a work lunch but need to know if it needs to be doubled. Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley
it should yield eight 10-12 ounce servings. It won’t take much more time to double the recipe and then you’ll have soup left over for home. If your workmates don’t go back for seconds.
Fariha
If you are looking for a REALLY good, possibly the BEST tomato bisque recipe in existence, look no further than Chef Dennis’ tomato bisque. oh my god. This soup is * D E L I C I O U S *. I could not stop myself from wanting more and more. The cheese is what takes it home.
I made a few adjustments in the “seasoning liberties” department and added a tsp of roasted garlic base to the broth and and some garlic to the celery and onion combination for the roux.
Thank you for sharing this!! I will be making this for the rest of my life!
Heather B
This recipe is a hit with my husband and I. We had been big fans of a store bought Tomato Basil Bisque but the store that carries it is out of our way. So tonight we tried this and we are sooooo glad we did. We didn’t strain it but we don’t mind the texture as all. What a great flavor!!
Paula
OMG!!!!
Chef Dennis
This soup is to die for. Will be making again in the near future. My best friend has COVID and he asked me if Knew how to make tomato bisque I said I have made it in the past which was years ago. I was researching recipes and found this yesterday. I made a double batch and delivered this morning to them. My second batch is for our dinner tonight with a grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks so my for posting this recipe online.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the great comment and review Paula, you really made my day! Enjoy the bisque!
Darren
Just a small amount of minced garlic, a pinch of basil, and I used Tillamook Sharp White Cheddar to shred into the pot. Possibly a couple fresh basil leaves… Overall awesomeness!!!
Marianne C Rodriguez
did you use the juice in the canned tomatoes
Chef Dennis Littley
yes use all of the tomato product in the can
Nicole
Is a 28 oz can of peeled tomatoes enough?
Chef Dennis Littley
only for half the recipe. You need two 28 ounce cans
Darla
Looks so good! What kind of cheese did you use?
Chef Dennis Littley
I almost always use Cabots seriously sharp. But you’re favorite cheddar will work nicely.
Dennis Latchum
I made this maybe a month ago now served it to guests, we all agreed this recipe knocks it out of the park. Hat tip to Chef Dennis Again!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the tomato bisque!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
I love a good tomato soup recipe and this one looks perfect for a delicious lunch recipe! Grilled cheese anyone?
Jacqueline Debono
I also grew up with canned tomato soup. But nowadays I definitely prefer homemade! Your recipe sounds so flavourful. I don’t make mine with a roux base but I’ll follow your steps next time. I’m sure it’ll be wonderful!
Gail Montero
What a deliciously vibrant tomato soup this is! My family would enjoy bowls upon bowls of this yummy soup!
Julie
What a lovely soup! This came out perfectly with such tasty flavors. THe family loved it so much.
Leslie
Everyone needs a good, classic, tomato bisque recipe to keep on hand! This version looks like true perfection!
Sondra Barker
Yum! Homemade soup is the best kind of soup! Thanks for the recipe. Cant wait to try!
Sondra Barker
Yum. Looks delicious. The perfect recipe for the holidays. Thanks for sharing.
Jere Cassidy
Tomato soup is my favorite. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions, they are so helpful in getting the recipe right. Can’t wait to try this.
Marta
I’m a sucker for a good tomato bisque and (as always) your recipe did not disappoint. I served it old-school style with a plump grilled cheese sandwich.
Stine Mari
This soup is incredible! The celery makes a huge difference in the depth of flavor, I love it.
Amy Liu Dong
This tomato soup recipe is so mouthwatering and look so easy to make. I’ll be saving this recipe and will make this for our tomorrows dinner. Thank you!
Lesli Schwartz
Nothing like the classics, like your tomato bisque soup! I will have to make this soon and pair it with a melty grilled cheese sandwich!
Ruth I
I’ve never tasted this before. I am so curious of the taste as it looks so good!
Lizzie Lau
Homemade tomato bisque is one of my favorite comfort foods. I’ve been baking sourdough bread, and they will go great together.
suzi
Love this soup but I am leaving the veggies in the soup rather than strain them. Thanks Chef Dennis!
Bohemian Babushka
Babushka goes Bonkers over Bisque! Always thought it was a difficult soup to make, gracias for making it easy to attempt.
Barbies Beauty Bits
Love this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. I think I may be making this over the weekend!
Nancy at Whispered Inspirations
Oh wow, this looks so good! My husband loves bisque, I’ll have to make this for him. Thank you for the tips, I can’t wait to try this.
Gervin Khan
This tomato soup looks really good and tasty, I will definitely making this at home for everyone. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Catalina
A soup is exactly what I need right now! I only can immagine how tasty and flavorful this tomato bisque is! I have to try it!
Paula Schuck
OH Dennis! This is perfect. I have been making so many soups in my crockpot recently as a result of this pandemic. I recognize that this is not a crockpot recipe but it is a soup that my entire family would LOVE! And this year I learned how to make a roux. Amazing. Thank you!
Pam Wattenbarger
I love a good tomato bisque. Plus, since it’s vegetarian, it would be a good recipe to serve to my vegetarian friends. I’m always looking for ideas on what to serve them.
Amber Myers
My husband will love this. He is all about tomato bisque. I’ll be trying this for dinner one night.
Carrie Robinson
Just give me a grilled cheese on the side, and I am good to go! 🙂
Tasheena
This recipe would be perfect to make for lunch today. I love trying new tomato soup recipes.
Sarah Bailey
Oh my goodness yes, please! I have to admit I LOVE tomato soup – it is just the best and this looks incredible I need to try it.
Anita
You are right, there’s no turning back to canned tomato soup from now on. This is simply delicious, and luckily super easy to prepare at home. 🙂
Lisalia
Delicious, easy and comforting. Perfect for today’s rainy day. And so so yummy.
Kacey Perez
This is looking pretty good right now as the temperatures just dropped back down again here in Wyoming. I’ll have to give this one a try!
Katie
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Tammy
This looks so good and even though this is much better than your average tomato soup, I would still have a grilled cheese with it. Yummy and pinning for later.