This homemade Tomato Bisque recipe turns classic tomato soup into something extra special. It’s beautifully creamy, with fresh herbs and lots of tomato goodness. Grab some cheesy bread or your favorite grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal!

a hand dipping a piece of cheesy bread into a bowl of creamy tomato soup


 

Easy Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup

This comforting, creamy Tomato Bisque recipe is the answer to any chilly day. It’s like your favorite tomato soup, but better! With cream, lots of tomato goodness, a trio of fresh herbs, and a touch of honey, this soup is perfect with a buttery air fryer grilled cheese sandwich or cheesy garlic bread for dipping!

Why You’ll Love This Tomato Bisque Recipe

I can always count on this soup. Everyone – my husband and daughters, our parents, our friends – loves this soup! Here’s why you’ll want to make it asap:

  • A flavorful, comforting take on a classic. Tomato soup is a classic, and cream elevates it into a bowl that’s even more comforting. With sauteed onion, fresh herbs, and honey, this flavorful soup is irresistible!
  • Easy ingredients & instructions. Besides a few easy-to-find fresh veggies and herbs, this recipe utilizes canned tomatoes and other common pantry ingredients. And it’s super easy to make!
  • So much better than canned! There’s just no way around it. A fresh pot of soup simply has better flavor and texture – homemade soup recipes always beat out canned!
overhead photo of a bowl of tomato bisque in a white bowl

What’s The Difference Between Tomato Bisque and Tomato Soup?

A bisque soup has French origins and is often composed of seafood. The general, more modern idea of bisque is that it includes cream and is blended with other ingredients such as squash, mushroom, red pepper, and of course, tomato.

Tomato bisque is made with cream. And tomato soup is based on vegetable or chicken broth. While this tomato bisque recipe also calls for broth, the addition of heavy cream is what makes it stand out from a tomato soup. Some people also call this Cream of Tomato Soup, although tomato bisque typically has more cream.

ingredients to make tomato bisque

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this tomato soup recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

  • Butter – This gives a luxurious texture to the soup, as well as rich flavor.
  • Onion – I use a yellow onion – this adds lots of flavor to the soup base.
  • Dill seeds – Dried dill seeds add gorgeous depth of flavor to this soup.
  • Fresh herbs – Fresh dill, oregano, and parsley add fresh flavor.
  • Salt & pepper
  • All-purpose flour – This forms the base of the roux.
  • Chicken stock – I use low-sodium chicken broth.
  • Diced tomatoes – Use canned diced tomatoes, including the juice.
  • Tomato paste – This gives a more concentrated tomato flavor.
  • Honey – A lovely addition that balances the acidity of the tomatoes and offers a note of sweetness.
  • Heavy cream – I highly recommend the richness of heavy cream, but you can use half-and-half for a lighter soup.

How to Make Tomato Bisque

Here’s how to make this easy tomato bisque recipe. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Fresh herbs, onion, and garlic are stirred with a wooden spoon in a soup pot.
Sauté onions and herbs.
Broth is whisked into the vegetables in the soup pot.
Add broth.
  • Cook the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot and sauté the onions.
  • Add herbs and seasonings. Stir in the dill seed, fresh dill, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
  • Add flour and stock. Sprinkle in the flour, then whisk in the chicken stock.
Diced tomatoes are added into the pot for tomato bisque.
Add diced tomatoes.
A wooden spoon stirs in the tomatoes for tomato bisque.
Combine.
Cream is poured into the soup pot from a glass measuring cup.
Add honey and cream.
  • Stir in tomatoes. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
  • Finish. Add the honey and cream, and let simmer. Make sure the soup doesn’t boil.
a bowl of tomato bisque with chopped dill over the top
  • Serve. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with cracked black pepper and fresh dill.

Tips & Variations

Below, you’ll find some tips to help you make this tomato bisque soup recipe plus some variation suggestions:

  • Use the freshest ingredients. From the cream to the fresh herbs, be sure to use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor and texture.
  • Don’t let the finished soup boil! When heating the soup in the final step, after the cream is added, take care to not let the soup boil. Boiling can scorch and curdle the cream.
  • Add fresh basil. Tomato + basil is a classic combo that plays well with this creamy tomato soup. Top your bowl with chopped fresh basil or stir it into the soup pot along with the other fresh herbs.
  • Lighten up. As suggested above, you can swap the heavy cream for an equal amount of half-and-half if you prefer a lighter soup.
  • Thin it out. If you prefer a soup with a thinner consistency, add another cup or two of chicken broth.
  • Make it heartier. Add cooked cheese tortellini to bowls of tomato bisque for flavor and heartiness. This is a great way to get kids to eat soup!
  • Blend the soup. This soup has bits of diced tomato in it, which I love. But if you prefer a fully blended soup, very carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup (right in the pot) after you add the canned diced tomatoes.
  • Swirl in more flavor. Right before serving, drizzle in a bit of flavored olive oil, such as garlic, basil, or rosemary olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with cheese. Add some freshly grated Parmesan over the top of your bowl.
  • Go dairy-free. If you need to go dairy-free, swap the butter for olive oil and stir in full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream.
a hand dipping a piece of cheesy bread into a bowl of creamy tomato soup

Serving Suggestions

My favorite thing to serve with tomato bisque is a grilled cheese sandwich or some cheesy bread – not only because I like this combo, but also because my family insists! Here are some great serving options:

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Save your tomato bisque soup for another meal with this easy storing method:

  • Fridge – Place cooled tomato bisque in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer – Transfer cooled tomato bisque to an airtight, freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Just know that, because this soup contains cream, it might not have the same luxurious texture as when it was first made.
  • To Reheat – Gently rewarm tomato bisque soup in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring, until it is heated through. You can also heat a bowl of soup in the microwave, tented with a paper towel to avoid splatter – heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each one, until hot to your liking.

More Easy Soup Recipes

overhead photo of a white bowl with creamy tomato soup

Tomato Bisque

Yield: 12 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes
total time: 40 minutes
This homemade Tomato Bisque recipe turns classic tomato soup into something extra special. It's beautifully creamy, with fresh herbs and lots of tomato goodness. Grab some cheesy bread or your favorite grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal!
4.5 Stars (4 Reviews)
Print

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups chopped yellow onion
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill seed
  • 2½ teaspoons chopped fresh dill plus a bit more for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 cups heavy cream or half & half, for a lighter soup

Instructions

  • Set a large heavy pot over medium heat. Melt the butter in the pot, then stir in the onion and sauté until translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to low and stir in the dill seed, fresh dill, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, or until herbs have wilted, stirring occasionally.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir until all flour is absorbed. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Slowly pour chicken broth into the pot, whisking all the while to incorporate everything smoothly.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot.
  • Reduce heat to low, then stir in honey and cream. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until soup is hot throughout, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally. Do not let the soup boil with the cream, as it can both scorch and curdle. Serve hot, with extra chopped fresh dill for garnishing individual bowls.

Notes

Slightly adapted from a tomato bisque recipe served by friend Jennifer Reinhard. Originally from Savories Bistro in Stillwater, MN (closed in 2011), where I enjoyed this soup for lunch many times with coworkers.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 340kcal Carbohydrates: 24g Protein: 5g Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 16g Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 75mg Sodium: 638mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 13g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
© Brenda | A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Cuisine: American
Course: Soup

This post was originally published in 2013, then updated in 2023.