This Tomato Bisque is perfect for a cozy meal at home. It is creamy, velvety and perfect for dipping your favorite bread or grilled cheese sandwich into. This bisque is made with rosemary, thyme and sage which provides rich flavor in each bite!
Recipe Inspiration
Making this tomato bisque is quite easy and the end result is so impressive! This soup is perfect to serve for a date night in or for a dinner party with friends.
Drizzle a little extra cream on top of each bowl of soup with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and you’ve got a beautiful presentation! It will be a family favorite.
If you are looking for more cozy recipes, check out our: Chickpea Soup, Pumpkin Pasta Carbonara with Crispy Sage, or Ribollita.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
It is cozy - There isn’t anything much better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold day. This is the perfect comfort food that will surely help you feel nice and cozy.
It is perfect for dipping - This soup is great for dipping a crusty piece of bread or nicely grilled sandwich into it. The texture is just right for coating whatever you choose to dunk!
It is simple to make - You can make this easy tomato bisque from start to finish in about an hour. It cooks over low heat on the stove for 30 minutes, which gives you time to prepare the rest of your meal during that time.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this creamy tomato bisque:
- Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe to get the most flavor in the dish.
- Onion: You will want to use a white onion for this.
- Celery
- Carrot
- Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic cloves.
- Chicken stock: You can also use quality chicken broth, vegetable broth, or bone broth
- Tomatoes: I recommend a can of crushed tomatoes for this recipe.
- Herbs: You will use one sprig each of rosemary, thyme and sage.
- Cream: Heavy whipping cream is going to give you the best creamy texture. For a vegan option, use a thick coconut milk.
- Salt & pepper
Directions
Let's make this delicious tomato bisque together!
Step 1: In a large soup pot or large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Bring it to a simmer and cover the pot. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Remove the herbs from the pot and discard. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender. Blend until smooth.
Step 6: Pour the soup through a strainer back into the soup pot.
Step 7: Return the soup to low heat and add the heavy cream, salt and black pepper. Stir it well to combine.
Step 8: Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle with extra heavy cream. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Here are some expert tips to make this tomato bisque recipe.
- If you use an immersion blender, blend the soup right in the stock pot. Then, transfer the soup to a bowl through a fine mesh sieve before transferring it back to the stock pot.
- If you are having trouble getting the soup to flow through the sieve, use a whisk to stir it around.
- Don’t forget to remove the herb sprigs from the bisque before you blend it! Simply use a slotted spoon or tongs to get them out of the hot bisque!
Kitchen Equipment
Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this easy soup recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.
- Soup Pot - You will want a good quality large soup pot like this one.
- Soup Bowls - These are my favorite soup bowls of all time.
- Immersion Blender - I have this immersion blender and I love it. It's great quality and perfect for using in recipes like this one.
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy tomato soup recipe.
Substitutions: Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make this vegetarian. You can use canned diced tomatoes, canned whole tomatoes, tomato puree or tomato sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes, if desired.
Herbs: Feel tree to add in any fresh herbs you have on hand - fresh basil would also be delicious in this recipe.
Toppings: Top with fresh rosemary, sage or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
What To Serve With
Here are some other recipes to serve alongside this cozy dish:
Crispy Chickpea Salad - This Crispy Chickpea salad is a delicious quick and healthy lunch or dinner option.
Air Fried Chicken Sandwiches - These sandwiches were crispy, moist and perfect for dipping in this creamy tomato soup!
Bolognese Sandwich - This sandwich is made from bolognese sauce, thick Italian slices of bread, and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using canned crushed tomatoes in this recipe for the rich tomato flavor. Substituting fresh tomatoes will alter the taste and texture. It would be okay to substitute canned diced tomatoes, tomato puree or tomato sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes though.
No, but a true bisque is smooth and velvety in texture. If you choose not to strain it, be sure to blend it very well and know that the texture will be altered.
I don’t recommend it in this recipe. One of the best parts of this soup is the flavor that is provided by the sprigs of herbs that cook into the soup.
Recipe Storage and Reheating
Here are storage and reheating instructions for this recipe.
Refrigerator Storage: Refrigerate completely cooled bisque in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer Storage: Freeze completely cooled bisque in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
Other Recipes to Try
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with liquid
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 sage sprigs
- 1 cup heavy cream plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add white onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add in garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove herbs. Blend in an immersion blender or regular blender, then run through a strainer back into the pot.
- Heat soup on low heat. Add heavy cream, salt, and black pepper and stir. Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream.
Sue says
Can I use half n half instead of full cream?
Christina Musgrave says
Yes you can!