Creamy Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Basil

Made with ripe garden tomatoes, this easy Tomato Bisque achieves a velvety texture by blending vegetables instead of using heavy cream.

Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe

I make this Tomato Bisque every summer when the garden is overflowing with ripe tomatoes. Compared with a classic tomato soup, this bisque has a richer, silkier mouthfeel because carrots and celery are cooked and pureed into the base. The sweeter and riper the tomatoes, the better the flavor. I finish each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream (or Greek yogurt), fresh basil, and a dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano, then serve it with crusty sourdough—my favorite way to enjoy peak-season tomatoes.

Why This Tomato Bisque Recipe Works

When tomatoes and basil are abundant, fresh produce makes all the difference. Canned tomatoes can be convenient, but fresh, garden-ripe tomatoes deliver a brighter, more nuanced flavor and a sweeter finish after simmering.

Versatile: Serve as a starter or a light main with a salad; it’s also perfect for dunking grilled cheese or crusty bread.
Meal prep friendly: Keeps up to 4 days in the refrigerator and reheats quickly.
Light and nutritious: No heavy cream—this bisque relies mostly on vegetables and broth for richness.
Summer in a bowl: This recipe highlights summer tomatoes at their peak. If you don’t grow your own, buy the best-quality tomatoes you can find at a farmers market or grocery store.

Tomato Bisque vs Soup

Tomato bisque is typically smoother and creamier than standard tomato soup. This lighter bisque gains a luxurious, silky texture from pureed carrots and celery rather than heavy cream, giving depth and natural sweetness while keeping the overall recipe lighter.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Sautéing the aromatics and simmering fresh summer tomatoes yields a rich bisque that needs few extras. Use the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Butter for sautéing and depth of flavor.
Aromatics: Onion, celery, carrots, and garlic form the flavorful base (a classic mirepoix/soffritto).
Fresh plum tomatoes: Roma or other plum varieties work well; you’ll need roughly 30 ounces (about 8–12 tomatoes depending on size).
Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth—choose vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian.
Herbs: Basil, parsley, and bay leaves add freshness and aromatic depth.
Seasoning: Kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Ripe tomatoes may need less salt.
Reduced-fat sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt to finish and enrich the soup.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Optional for serving.

How to Make Tomato Bisque

Tie basil, parsley, and bay leaves together with string for easier removal before pureeing. The method below yields a smooth, flavorful bisque; printable directions are in the recipe card at the bottom.

Peel the tomatoes: Blanch tomatoes in boiling water until the skins crack (about 1 minute), then cool and peel the skins off.
Sauté the vegetables: Finely chop onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the vegetables until softened, about 8–10 minutes.
Simmer the bisque: Add broth, peeled tomatoes, and the tied herbs along with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.
Finish and puree: Remove the herb bundle, stir in sour cream or yogurt, then puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Garnish with basil and Parmigiano if desired.

Do I Have to Remove the Tomato Skins?

Removing skins makes the bisque smoother—personally I always peel them—but if a slightly rustic texture doesn’t bother you, you can skip the blanching step.

How to Blend and Thicken Tomato Bisque

If you don’t have an immersion blender, cool the soup slightly and blend in batches in a countertop blender, covering the opening with a towel to prevent splatters.
An immersion blender is faster and simpler, while a countertop blender can produce an even silkier texture.
To thicken, add more sour cream or simmer uncovered to reduce and concentrate the soup.

Variations

Higher protein: Use chicken bone broth for extra protein and savory depth.
Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Tomato types: Substitute plum tomatoes with heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes based on availability and flavor preference.
Herbs: For a stronger herb presence, blend some basil and parsley into the bisque.
Dairy-free: Omit sour cream or use dairy-free sour cream, cashew cream, or replace butter with olive oil. Skip the Parmigiano.
Alternative finish: Swap sour cream for plain whole-milk Greek yogurt for tang and creaminess.
Cheese: Omit the cheese or use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmigiano for a saltier finish.

Serving Suggestions

This bisque is excellent with grilled cheese or crusty bread. It also pairs well with simple mains like roasted chicken, pan-seared pork chops, or a fresh salad for a light meal.

Storage

Refrigerate: Store leftover bisque in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. For best texture, freeze before adding the sour cream; stir in fresh sour cream or yogurt when reheating. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stove.

More Tomato Soup Recipes You’ll Love

For additional inspiration, try other tomato-based soups such as Lobster Bisque, Slow Cooker Tomato Soup, Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup, Chickpea Tomato Soup, or Chunky Beef, Cabbage & Tomato Soup.

Tomato Bisque

This creamy Tomato Bisque is made with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and celery blended until smooth and velvety, then finished with sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh basil, and optional Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (about 2 cups per serving)

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 55 mins Total: 1 hr 10 mins

Calories: 113 kcal per serving (approximate)

Equipment

Immersion blender or countertop blender
Mini food processor or chopper (optional, for finely chopping vegetables)
Large soup pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
30 oz fresh plum tomatoes, peeled (see instructions for blanching)
32 oz chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 sprigs parsley
10 basil leaves
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream or whole-milk Greek yogurt
Parmigiano Reggiano for serving (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

To peel tomatoes: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop tomatoes in to blanch for about 1 minute, or until skins crack. Remove, cool briefly, and slip off skins.
Chop onions, carrots, celery, and garlic finely in a mini food processor or by hand.
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8–10 minutes.
Add chicken or vegetable broth and the peeled tomatoes to the pot. Stir to combine.
Tie parsley, basil, and bay leaves together with kitchen string and add the bundle to the soup for easy removal later. Season with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes to meld flavors.
Remove and discard the herb bundle. Stir in the sour cream or yogurt. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool slightly and blend in batches, filling the blender no more than halfway and covering the lid opening with a towel to vent.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmigiano if desired.

Notes

If using yogurt instead of sour cream, temper it by whisking in a bit of the warm soup before stirring it into the pot to prevent curdling.