Healthy Tomato Basil Soup—Quick and Easy

Name: Healthy Tomato Basil Soup—Quick and Easy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 28 oz crushed tomatoes (one large can); 12 oz Fat free evaporated milk; 1 teaspoon dry basil (or 5 leaves fresh); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; sugar (optional if needed)

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4.46 from 22 votes

Thick and creamy texture with deep rich flavor, this Healthy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe is one of the best soups you can make at home with pantry ingredients.

image of a bowl of tomato basil soup in a white bowl on orange plate

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🍅Ingredients
👨‍🍳How to Make Healthy Tomato Basil Soup
✔️Tips and Options
❓FAQ
🍽️Serving and Storage
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
📖 Recipe

This easy tomato soup recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. It only takes 25 minutes to make with these easy step-by-step photo instructions. Even faster if you skip most of the simmering.

It's light years ahead of that watered-down can of soup. And the fresh basil leaves option adds an exceptional taste.

A healthy soup that fits a healthy diet like a low-calorie or low-fat diet —with only 133 calories and 1 gram of fat. It is relatively low in sodium, and you can decrease it by about 200mg per serving by skipping the salt to fit almost any low-sodium diet.

Call it tomato soup, creamy tomato soup, or tomato bisque since there is diary. It is naturally gluten-free, and you can make it dairy-free and vegetarian by changing the milk to vegetable broth.

Serve with Healthy Low Caloric Biscuits to say on the healthy theme or Stand Mixer Bread—Basic White for standard homemade bread.

Check out some other easy soup recipes like Broccoli Cheese Soup, Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Vegetable Beef Soup, and Crock Pot French Onion Soup. And check out more options at Our Best Soups.

🍅Ingredients

Tomatoes—crushed
Evaporated milk—fat-free
Basil—fresh or dry
Pantry ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, baking soda, sugar (optional), salt, and pepper

👨‍🍳How to Make Healthy Tomato Basil Soup

Using a non-reactive pan, add all ingredients except milk and optional sugar.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add fat-free evaporated milk.
Taste test for sweetness and add sugar if needed.
Simmer for 5 minutes more and serve.

✔️Tips and Options

Instead of crushed tomatoes, you may also use whole or diced canned tomatoes. You will need to blend with an emersion blender if you do.
The non-fat evaporated milk may be replaced with cream, half and half, milk, chicken stock or broth — your choices will affect the final nutritional analysis.
It is already gluten-free. You can make it completely vegetarian and dairy free by using vegetable stock or broth instead of milk.
It is already relatively low in sodium and you can decrease it by about 200mg per serving by skipping the salt. The baking soda which helps the acid balance provides enough sodium.

❓FAQ

Is tomato basil soup healthy?

Yes, in many ways, it is an excellent source of antioxidants and some vitamins. My version is also very low in fat and calories, so it will fit almost any healthy diet.

It can fit a low-sodium diet especially if you skip the added salt which will drop the sodium per serving from a little less that 600 to less than 400.

Why use baking soda in homemade tomato soup?

The baking soda may seem odd to you. But it will neutralize the acid in the tomato, so it tastes less acidic, and the acid won't curdle the milk in the soup — both good things.

Why use sugar in homemade tomato soup?

Since tomatoes are a natural product, they will vary some by ripeness and variety. A touch of sugar may be needed depending on your taste. Start at about ¼ teaspoon.

Why is a non-reactive pan suggested for cooking tomatoes?

Foods like tomatoes, lemon products, vinegar, and many more, are acidic. Reactive cookware will react with acidic foods cooked in them and can leave a metallic taste in the food. It will also damage the reactive cookware.

Examples of reactive cookware would be aluminum, iron, and copper. I love cast iron but not a good choice for tomatoes or other acidic ingredients.

Examples of non-reactive cookware are stainless steel, enamel, ceramic, glass, and non-stick cookware—the obvious choice for simmering things with acidic components.

🍽️Serving and Storage

Serve with nice crusty bread, or the classic is a grilled cheese sandwich.

Store in an airtight container then refrigerated for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for 3-4 months.

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Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

Notice both fresh and dry basil in the picture. It is one or the other.

three steps of cutting basel leaves into ribbons

If using fresh basil, prep 5 medium leaves of basil by pinching off the stem, forming a stack with the largest on the bottom and the smallest on top. Roll from the stem end into a small "cigar." Cut into narrow ribbons by pulling the knife through the basil and not crushing it.

adding spices to tomatoes in a black pan

Add 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes to a large non-reactive saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of dry basil or the prepared fresh basil, ½ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Also, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 12 oz can of fat-free evaporated milk—taste test for sweetness. Add ¼ teaspoon or more sugar if desired. You may also use cream, half and half, milk, or chicken or vegetable broth.