This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This easy Tomato Bisque Recipe is irresistibly rich and creamy. Made with a delicious blend of roasted vegetables and heavy cream, it’s the ultimate comfort food and a million times better than canned tomato soup!
The Best Tomato Bisque Ever
Making soup is my love language. It’s how I express feelings of gratitude, grief, sickness, and passion. Of course, I use words, too, but (sometimes) food words are better. Today, I’m sharing how to make tomato bisque soup. Luxuriously thick, creamy, and smooth, tomato bisque is an explosion of passion, comfort, and indulgence. One spoonful is never enough. Serve it with grilled cheese, cheese toast, or hearty buttered bread for a complete meal.
Table of Contents
What is Bisque?
Originating in France, Bisque was initially made with seafood such as lobster, crab, shrimp, and crawfish. It was made by grinding the crustacean shells into a paste and using the paste to make a stock. The stock was then mixed with cream, achieving the rich and velvety texture we love so much about bisque.
Over time, bisque has evolved to replace seafood with vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms, and butternut squash.
How is Tomato Bisque Different From Tomato Soup?
Tomato bisque is a more refined and creamy variation of tomato soup, and is known for its silky smooth texture and rich flavor.
Tomato bisque is thick and decadent, consisting of tomatoes, cream, and butter. It is typically served as an appetizer or stand-alone meal. Tomato soup (like this Tomato Basil Soup) has a thinner consistency and is much lighter since it doesn’t contain cream. It is often served with bread or a grilled cheese sandwich for a complete meal. Cream of tomato soup is somewhere in the middle.
Key Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes: Look for the freshest, vine-ripened tomatoes available, avoiding beefsteak tomatoes (or remove the seeds before roasting). Cherry or grape tomatoes are an excellent choice if tomatoes aren’t in season, as they’re sweeter than other, larger varieties.
- Red bell pepper: Red bell peppers add sweetness and depth, especially after roasting. Orange and yellow sweet bell peppers may be used as a substitute.
- Onion: Onions add a savory base. I used white onions, but yellow onions will also work. Substitute 2-3 shallots for a milder, sweeter flavor.
- Garlic bulb: We’re roasting an entire bulb of garlic here. Roasted garlic is mellower than raw garlic and so delicious.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To taste.
- Olive oil: Used for roasting the vegetables. Avocado oil is a great alternative.
- Vegetable broth: Used as the liquid base. Water may also be used.
- Butter: Adds richness. Tip: Brown the butter slightly before adding the roasted vegetables to the pot for even more flavor.
- Heavy cream: Creates a luxurious, creamy texture. There are no alternatives for heavy cream.
- Fresh basil (optional): For freshness. Fresh herbs are completely optional.
For A More Sophisticated Tomato Bisque Recipe
This recipe, as written, is plenty rich and creamy, but if you want a fancier flavor profile, here’s what I would recommend:
- Use seafood stock: Seafood stock adds layers of lovely umami flavor, complementing the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes and balancing the richness of the cream and butter. The addition creates a hybrid of classic tomato and seafood bisque, producing a more refined and gourmet soup. If this is your first time using seafood stock in tomato bisque, blend seafood stock with vegetable stock for a more subtle flavor.
- Add a splash of dry white wine or sherry: I frequently add a splash (or two) of white wine to tomato-based sauces, soups, and stews for an extra layer of flavor.
- For extra creaminess: Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche or mascarpone.
How to Make Tomato Bisque
To make this recipe, we’re caramelizing the vegetables in the oven before adding them to the soup. Roasting enhances their flavor, creating a sweet, caramelized, and concentrated taste.
To begin, arrange the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and garlic on a large, rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Roast the vegetables in a 400°F (205°C) oven for 30 minutes, then flip the vegetables over and roast for an additional 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized.
Remove the vegetables from the oven. Set aside the garlic to cool.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot set over medium-high heat. Add the roasted vegetables and broth and bring to a simmer. Gently squeeze the softened garlic cloves directly into the pot.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Use a high-speed countertop blender or immersion blender to blend until smooth. Remove from heat. Optional: Strain the pureed soup through a fine mesh strainer for the silkiest bisque possible.
Next, slowly stir the room-temperature cream into the soup until fully combined, and add the fresh basil leaves. Return the soup to low heat. Heat gently for 5 minutes or until warmed through. Do not boil the soup once the cream has been added.
- Optional: If you’ve added fresh basil or would like a smoother finish, blend the soup again until the desired consistency is reached.
Finally, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream, olive oil, crushed red pepper, or fresh basil, if desired. Enjoy!
Serving Ideas
You’ll find that there are plenty of complementary sides and pairings to serve with tomato bisque, depending on the mood and occasion. For an easy lunch or dinner, serve this creamy tomato bisque with a grilled cheese sandwich or crusty bread. For fancier affairs, consider serving it as an appetizer in small shooter glasses with other appetizers like stuffed mushrooms or bacon-wrapped shrimp.
Other favorite sides and additions include:
Storage and Leftovers
Allow leftovers to cool slightly before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing bisque. The heavy cream is likely to separate upon thawing.
Reheat on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Do not boil. If the texture seems off, use an immersion blender to restore its smoothness.
Recommended Tools
Check out all of my kitchen essentials. (Amazon affiliate links*)
- Rimmed Baking Sheets are best for roasting vegetables.
- A good soup pot or Dutch oven. If you use a ceramic pot or Dutch oven (such as the one linked here), be careful not to scratch the bottom if you use an immersion blender to blend your bisque).
- An Immersion Blender or Countertop Blender. Personally, I feel that good-quality high-speed countertop blenders work better than immersion blenders to get silky smooth purees. That said, immersion blenders are much more convenient.
- Fine Mesh Strainer if you want to take that extra step and strain your soup.
More Soup Recipes
If you make this tomato bisque soup recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Tomato Bisque Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and cut into fourths
- 1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 bulb garlic, top sliced off
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
- 2-4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2½ cup vegetable broth, or water
- 2-4 tablespoon butter
- 1-1½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup fresh basil, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Arrange the halved tomatoes, quartered bell pepper and onion, and garlic bulb on a large, rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then flip them over and roast for an additional 20 minutes or until they are soft and slightly charred. Remove the caramelized vegetables from the oven. Set aside the garlic to cool.
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot set over medium-high heat. Add the roasted vegetables and broth and bring to a simmer over high heat. As the soup heats, gently squeeze the garlic directly into the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend until smooth using a high-speed countertop blender or immersion blender. Remove from heat. Optional: Strain the pureed soup through a fine mesh strainer for the silkiest bisque possible.
- Slowly stir the room-temperature heavy cream into the soup until fully combined, and add the fresh basil leaves. Return the soup to low heat. Heat gently for 5 minutes or so until warmed through. Do not boil the soup once the cream has been added.
- If you’ve added fresh basil or want a smoother finish, blend the soup again until you reach the desired consistency.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream, olive oil, crushed red pepper, or fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
- Allow leftovers to cool slightly before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing bisque.
- For a vegan-friendly alternative, omit the butter and swap the heavy cream for 1 can of full-fat coconut milk/cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very easy and flavorful.
Thanks Lacey 🙂