I’m constantly looking for new ways to use my favorite (not) Sun Dried Tomato Sauce in recipes because it’s just SO good. So, the other day I was thinking, “Hmmm, I wonder if I can just make it into a really tasty soup.” The answer is yes. Yes, that deliciously tangy, herb-infused sauce is the great beginning to a super fast, easy, and delicious homemade Tomato Herb Soup.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What Does Tomato Herb Soup Taste Like?
This tomato herb soup is not your everyday canned condensed tomato soup. It’s not sugary sweet, it’s fairly thick, very rich, and has tons of herby flavor. The magic comes from the melange of dried herbs and the quick act of caramelizing the tomato paste to create a rich sweetness. So yum and it gets better as it refrigerates. Oh, did I mention that it just happens to be VEGAN?
What to Serve with Tomato Herb Soup
A classic grilled cheese sandwich is never a bad idea, but you could also do something like Homemade Garlic Bread, Pesto Cheese Toast, or drop a few Homemade Croutons on top, and make a super simple salad to go on the side.
Is it Freezer Friendly?
Yes, this soup holds up really well to freezing, so feel free to stash a couple servings in there for later! I try to use up my frozen foods within three months for best quality, but you may get a longer life out of it. In the refrigerator, the soup should stay good for about 4-5 days.
Tomato Herb Soup
Servings 5 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 2 cloves garlic* ($0.16)
- 1/4 cup olive oil ($0.64)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary ($0.03)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.39)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.02)
- 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes ($0.79)
- 3 cups vegetable broth ($0.39)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and add it to a sauce pot along with the olive oil, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked pepper. Turn the heat on to medium-low and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the garlic has softened.
- Add the tomato paste and brown sugar. Stir until everything is mixed (the oil may stay partially separated). Cook the mixture while stirring continuously for 3-5 minutes, or until the tomato paste takes on a darker, almost burgundy hue.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Whisk the mixture together until smooth. Turn the heat up to medium and heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Measuring Cups Spoons
- Stainless Steel Pots and Pans
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
How to Make Tomato Herb Soup – Step by Step Photos
Start by adding ¼ cup olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, and some freshly cracked black pepper to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium-low and sauté the herbs in the oil for about two minutes, or until the garlic has softened.
Add 6 oz. tomato paste and 1 Tbsp brown sugar to the pot. Stir until everything is pretty well combined (the oil may never fully mix in). Continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes more, or until the tomato paste takes on a darker burgundy hue (see photo below).
Add one 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes are smaller bits than diced tomatoes, but not quite as smooth as tomato sauce. It’s somewhere in between, and doesn’t have any seasoning added.
Also add 3 cups of vegetable broth, which will thin the soup out, add depth of flavor, and just the right amount of salt. I use this Better Than Bouillon to quickly mix up the exact amount of broth that I need.
Then just whisk everything together and heat through! The end! The flavors are even better the next day.
OMG – grilled cheese + tomato soup FTW!
Now give yourself a high-five for making such a delicious soup in under 30 minutes.
FANTASY, easy, healthy, budget friendly, but also, did I say? FANTASTIC!!!
I made this as written, and it wasn’t really that impressive. It was pretty bland as a stand alone, but was good for grilled cheese dunking.
I’m unlikely to try this again, but if I did I’d probably add more veggies, salt, and/or basil or pesto.
It was very easy to make with standard pantry items.
Love that you show step by step pictures.
Simple and very tasty! I used an immersion blender and topped it with some roasted chickpeas for extra protein.
it was yummy, but I’d omit or even just half the tomato paste. the end result was too bitter for me 😭
I chose this recipe to have a heartier bowl of soup compared to the canned options. I loved that the ingredients are shelf-stable! The flavor was great, but the children in the house didn’t love the chunks of tomatoes. I might try again with an immersion blender at the end or substitute the crushed tomatoes with tomatoes. Still would recommend!
Can you add cream to this at the end to make it creamier?
Of course, you can, Sam! It will be wonderful! So it’s not too watery, I would substitute the 3 cups of broth with 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 2 1/2 cups of broth. You may also want to add a bit more salt to compensate for a bit less broth. Add the 2 1/2 cups of broth when directed. Once you get to the end of the recipe, turn off the heat and then stir in the cream. Taste and just the seasonings.
We also have another recipe — Secret Ingredient Tomato Soup — that is vegan but amazingly creamy with the addition of some secret ingredients (nutritional yeast and white beans)! https://www.budgetbytes.com/secret-ingredient-tomato-soup/
~Marion :)
Oh no! I saved the link to the secret ingredient tomato soup and it no longer works (this one also links to a different recipe). Fingers crossed you bring it back! It was my favorite for adding a bit more protein to an easy, tasty tomato soup.
Love tomato soup
Can I use a large can of tomato sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes? That’s what I have on hand.
Go for it. THe texture will be a touch different, but it will still be yummy. XOXO -Monti
This recipe was just ok for me. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it either. It was a little too close to tomato pasta sauce. What I did like was the simplicity of the recipe and the rich flavors. It’s definitely better than canned tomato soup.
Hi BB buddies! I’m wondering if there’s any reason why NOT to “blend” this recipe and the “secret ingredient tomato soup” recipe and add the blended beans and nutritional yeast to this one for tomato herb soup. Other than those 2 ingredients, and more broth/tomato paste…the seem quite similar (and then I’m not putting 1/2 of the tomato paste into the freezer.) There may be some reason…just curious and thought I’d ask. #SoupSundays