Homemade tomato soup! Nothing makes me feel more like a kid again. Throw in a crispy grilled cheese sandwich (or two) and you’ve just made one of my favorite weeknight meals! This homemade soup can be put together in less than 10 minutes from start to finish. It’s one of the easiest recipes that I know for a tiny kitchen. It uses pantry-friendly ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store and almost no dishes.
How to Make Tomato Soup in a Tiny Kitchen
When it comes to making this soup recipe in a tiny kitchen, I can’t recommend it enough. I’ve been making it for years and it’s one of the easiest and cheapest recipes I know. Prep time is nearly non-existent, it cooks in the blink of an eye, and all you really need to wash at the end of the night is a pot and spoon. This is definitely one of my favorite dinners for when I’m feeling lazy.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week. It’s a great recipe to prepare in advance of camping and will keep you warm and full on chilly spring or autumn nights by the fire. All it takes is a quick reheat in the microwave, on the stove, or just set it in a pot alongside a campfire. You can also freeze it, but it will honestly take less time to make a fresh batch than it would to thaw and reheat… so why?
Homemade Tomato Soup from Tomato Paste
There are a few reasons why you might want to use tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes in this soup. To start, making a tomato soup using fresh tomatoes is very time consuming. You’ll need to blanch and peel a whole lot of tomatoes to get the same density as a simply can of tomato paste. They will then need to cook for quite some time (or you’ll have to bust out your pressure cooker) to reduce acidity and condense it down to a super smooth, slightly thick puree. Let’s face it, that many tomatoes are expensive and not too many people have time for that.
By using this recipe, you can stock up your pantry with inexpensive cans of tomato paste and always be guaranteed a tasty soup on any night of the week. It’s a great budget-friendly meal or side. But what makes using tomato paste different from simply using canned condensed soup?
Making tomato soup from tomato paste is not only cheaper, it’s healthier. I encourage you to read the nutrition label on your favorite brand of condensed soup. Pre-made soups are often filled with excessive amounts of salt and sugar. If you need to watch those areas of your diet, making tomato soup from scratch is definitely the best way to go. It takes about the same amount of time as heating up a store-bought can AND you have control over how salty or sweet your soup is.
Want to make it vegan?
You can! Just leave out the butter (or substitute with your favorite vegan butter!) For years, I made this recipe without adding any butter. Once I tried it though, I realized that the extra fat added a certain little something that blended all the flavors together. It forever altered my recipe. So add the butter, substitute the butter with something else, or leave it out entirely—this soup will knock your socks off all the same!
That’s it!
Go make this super easy Tomato Soup recipe and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to come back and give me your rating. If you have any questions or find other substitutions that are yummy, feel free add those in your comments! As always, if you like this recipe, please share it on social media so other people know about it too. Let’s eat!
Ingredients
- 18 oz tomato paste (3 small cans)
- 6 cups water
- 2 tsp vegetable bouillon
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the contents of the tomato paste can(s), the vegetable bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, and thyme.
- Stir in the water a little at a time. This prevents the paste and powdered spices from getting clumpy. Continue to add water until you've reached the desired thickness for the soup. If you are using butter, add it now.
- Set over medium heat and bring to a soft boil. Cook for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and serve.
