How to Make Canned Tomato Soup Better: Expert Tips

Do you have a can of tomato soup handy? Do you want to make it taste homemade? This is the perfect recipe for making canned tomato soup taste like it came from your favorite restaurant. It’s easy, fast, and won’t cost much more than what is in the store!

What are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking! This is a great way to spruce up dinner on a busy weekday evening.

I love homemade meals just as much as the next person, but I’m also a big fan of meal shortcuts for busier nights – especially when it tastes almost like homemade. I think a lot of you are like that, too – based on the popularity of our How to Make Canned Refried Beans Taste Better article!

I don’t know of too many people who rave over a plain can of tomato soup – I sure don’t. However, there are a few small adaptations you can make to take it from blah to having no leftovers.

My kids go CRAZY over these ways we’ve made canned tomato soup better. Just the other night when I made it, my son was so sad we didn’t have any leftovers, and he kept telling me how much he loved it. It was really that good, and it tasted better than really any tomato soup I’ve had from restaurants or at the store.

Ingredients

• One can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup
• 2/3 can heavy cream**
• 1/3 can 2% milk**
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/3 can stewed tomatoes
• Black Pepper (to taste)
• Sea Salt (to taste)

(**can refers to using the can that the tomato soup was in)

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil
2. Add basil and minced garlic and sautee over low heat for a few minutes
3. Add a can of tomato soup and heat for a minute or two.
4. Slowly add in heavy cream and milk over medium heat; stir occasionally as it comes to a simmer
5. Add in stewed tomatoes
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper
7. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally

5 Things We Do for Better Tomato Soup

If you scroll down, you’ll get the exact measurements for what we do with this recipe. But here is a brief overview of what we do to make this taste better.

Add Fresh Ingredients

One of the best ways to add some life to a can of soup is by adding fresh ingredients. This can add some new flavor and freshness that you can’t replicate otherwise. We recommend adding fresh (not dried) basil and garlic gloves. It makes a huge difference!

Heavy Cream Instead of Water or Milk

Cans of tomato soup usually recommend adding water or 1% milk. This doesn’t really add much dimension. Heavy Cream or even half and half can really kick the soup up a notch by making it very creamy.

Add seasonings

In addition to the fresh ingredients, add a few other seasonings to your taste. We love adding salt and pepper, but you could also add some red pepper flakes or chili powder for an added kick. Experiment with different seasonings!

Let it Simmer

Once you’ve added everything, make sure you let all the flavors blend together by simmering.

Serve with Bread

Finally, what soup isn’t made better than when served with bread? We love making rolls or breadsticks or picking up some ciabatta from Costco. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with grilled cheese!

Can I freeze tomato soup?

The answer to this question is yes, you can freeze tomato soup. When freezing soup, it’s best if the vegetables are blended or pureed in order for them not to turn into large ice crystals. You can also add a teaspoon of sugar to help prevent ice crystal formation in your soup when freezing it.

Can You Make this Soup Ahead of Time?

Yes, make it all the way through, and then simply reheat slowly on the stovetop when ready to eat.

How to reheat tomato soup

Tomato soup is usually best served cold, but if you prefer to eat it hot, there are a few methods for reheating it. One would be to heat the soup in the microwave until it is hot. There are also stovetop methods, which include simmering the soup on low heat or placing it in a pan over medium-low heat and stirring often to prevent burning. If you are using an electric stove, be sure to turn the dial on low.

What toppings are good for tomato soup?

Tomato soup is a classic recipe that can be served with many different toppings. The most common are grated cheese, croutons, and saltine crackers for topping the soup. Other toppings that can be used are bacon, basil leaves, and olive oil. We like to use shaved parmesan cheese, and we also have loved using parmesan crisps!

How can I make this recipe healthier?

Due to the heavy cream, this recipe can be a little bit heavy! You could try and use half and half instead of the heavy cream and 1% milk instead of 2% milk.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! We tripled the recipe recently, and it was delicious.

What type of canned tomatoes did you use?

We used Hunts Basil, Garlic, and Oregano stewed tomatoes. I used a whole can when I tripled the recipe, but you could use just 1/3 of a standard can.

Why not just make it from scratch?

The answer to this question is difficult because there are many different reasons. One of the main reasons for not making it from scratch is that it takes time and effort, so if you do make it from scratch it will be a lot more expensive. In addition, the ingredients to make something from scratch are not always readily available and can even take some time to search for them. If you have all the ingredients, it may still be more expensive than buying something that is already made.

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