Tomato Basil Soup made with ripe tomatoes & pesto sauce blended until smooth & creamy & served topped with cheese & croutons! It’s just like the Tomato Basil Soup recipe served at Cafe Zupas!
This easy tomato basil soup recipe is one you’re going to want over and over again (I know I do!) Making the tomato basil soup with canned tomatoes also helps to cut down on a lot of effort while not taking away any of the great taste.
What is Cafe Zupas Tomato Basil Soup?
If you haven’t ordered the Tomato Basil Soup from Cafe Zupas, you’re seriously missing out! It’s one of my all-time favorites. It’s rich, smooth and flavorful. I love the combination of tomatoes and pesto sauce- I would have never thought to make soup, but it works beautifully.
Homemade Tomato Basil Soup Ingredients
-Diced or stewed tomatoes: Use fresh or canned tomatoes for this recipe. You’ll need about 5 1/2 cups, roughly 43 oz.
-Pesto sauce: a homemade pesto sauce is fabulous and included on the recipe card, but you can also buy it premade from the store, Costco’s is delish!
-Butter: adding a smooth and delicious flour to the soup and used to help cook the veggies down before placing in the crockpot.
-Onion: dice the onion into small pieces so that it can give us the best flavor.
-Celery: this aromatic works great for adding to soups and is used as a base in many soup recipes.
-Dried oregano: this seasoning helps to give that Italian flavoring that we want in our tomato soup.
-Sugar: I know it sounds weird, but sugar actually helps to cut down on the acidity and makes the soup more palatable.
-Evaporated milk or cream: Cream added amps up the richness of the soup and helps give it a smooth texture.
How to Make Easy Tomato Basil Soup
Set your crockpot to high heat so that it can warm up while you assemble the soup ingredients. You can also use a pot on the stove if you don’t want to slow cook this soup.
Wash and slice your veggies in preparation.
In a frying pan on the stove, melt your butter and add the onion and celery.
Cook for about 5-8 minutes until they are softened.
Transfer the cooked veggies to the crockpot and then add in all of the other remaining ingredients except for the cream. Don’t worry about the soup looking pretty, that happens later.
If using a crockpot cook on high for 6-7 hours. If using a pot on the stove bring the soup to a boil and then turn it down to low and let it simmer for about 2 hours total. We want to get those flavors to meld!
An hour before serving, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
After the soup is smooth, let cook for another hour and then add the cream just before serving.
Top with parmesan cheese and croutons.
Tomato Basil Soup in the Instant Pot
This recipe can very easily be made in the instant pot! Just add the butter & saute the onion and celery in your pot. Add the tomatoes (no need to drain the canned tomatoes!), pesto, Oregano & sugar. If using fresh tomatoes, add 1 cup water. Place the lid and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Natural pressure release, then blend with an immersion blender. Add evaporated milk, stir and then serve!
Short Cuts for making the Best Tomato Basil Soup
- Use canned tomatoes- you’ll need about 43 oz worth.
- Use store-bought pesto sauce. You can buy it at just about any grocery store in the deli area, but I love Costco’s version!
- Buy a bag of frozen diced onions. Normally I don’t love store-bought onion because the pieces are too big. But being as we’re going to blend this soup, it doesn’t matter!
- Not a short cut, but a low fat option- using evaporated milk instead of heavy cream saves you added calories and fat…and you won’t be able to taste the difference!
Tomato Basil Soup {Cafe Zupas Copycat Version}
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Pesto sauce
- 5 1/2 cups tomatoes fresh or canned (43 oz)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup diced onion
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp sugar
- 12 oz evaporated milk or 1 1/3 cup cream
Pesto Sauce
- 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Pesto Sauce
- Blend together all of the ingredients until smooth
Tomato Soup
- Set crockpot on high so that it can begin warming up while you assemble the soup. If you don't want to use a crockpot, feel free to use a saucepan instead.
- Wash and slice vegetables.
- In a frying pan (or just use the saucepan if you're not using a crockpot) melt butter over medium-high heat. Add in onion and celery.
- Cook until vegetables soften, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer to the crockpot and add in all remaining ingredients, except the cream. At this point the soup doesn't look very pretty. Don't worry- it will cook down and all the veggies will meld together.
- Crockpot: Cook on high 6 hours. Blend until smooth. Cook an additional hour. Add cream & serve.
- Saucepan on stove: Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 2 hours total. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Cook an additional 30 minutes, then stir in evaporated milk. Serve, topped with Parmesan cheese and croutons.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I use fresh tomatoes?
Yes, my garden is exploding with tomatoes, so I used fresh. This is not a fast way to make this soup, however! If you do want to use fresh, you’ll need to peel and slice the tomatoes first. I show you how to do this step-by-step here, when I give my fresh tomato marinara sauce recipe.
What if I don’t have an immersion blender?
If you don’t have one, don’t worry. You can transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor and blend it until smooth and return the soup to the pot when you’re done.
More easy soup recipes:
- Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Creamy Wild Rice Soup
- Easy Tomato Basil Soup
- Easy Vegetable Chowder
- French Onion Tomato Soup
- Lemon Chicken and Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Soup
- Zucchini Sausage Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Alfredo Soup
- Slow Cooker Pizza Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
Tomato Basil Soup made with ripe tomatoes & pesto sauce blended until smooth & creamy & served topped with cheese & croutons! It’s just like the Tomato Basil Soup recipe served at Cafe Zupas!
Becky @ Utah Sweet Savings says
Oh my gosh!! Yay Yay Yay!!! I am totally addicted to this Zupas soup. I can't wait to try this. I'm running to the store right now to grab the stuff I don't have and I'm going to try this tonight. I LOVE YOU!!! Horray!
Jessica Williams says
I hope you enjoyed it Becky!
Becky says
Making it again! This is our third time in a month! Love this!
Karly Campbell says
This sounds so perfectly comforting and delicious! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
Mandy says
I just made this tonight and it tastes so similar!! It is my favorite soup at Zupas. I also added the orzo pasta to ours. Thank you for the recipe!
turpkir says
Do you really cook it on HIGH for 6-7 hours or on LOW? Thanks, Kirsten
Jessica Williams says
Yep- HIGH for 6-7 hours. 🙂 Sounds odd. Tastes spectacular.
There Once Was A Bee says
This is the best tomato soup in my collection by far! I used half-n-half and added orzo. Just noticed you used red onion. Does that make a difference? I used yellow.
Jessica Williams says
I'm a big fan of using what I have on hand to make recipes! It must be the whole 5 kids thing, lol. I don't think it changes the flavor a ton.
Jessica Williams says
BTW- I'm glad you like it! Orzo is a good addition- I also added star pasta once and it was still good (plus the kids thought it was fun!)
There Once Was A Bee says
One more thing…. Do you happen to have a copycat recipe for the butternut squash soup at Blue Lemon? It is to die for!
Jessica Williams says
I don't- but we have a Butternut Squash recipe posting soon that you'll LOVE!
There Once Was A Bee says
I can't wait. Is it sweet? That's the kind I prefer.
Makenzie says
Oh my gosh this looks amazing! Totally making it for my dinner group this weekend. How many servings does this recipe make?
Julia says
Love this soup! Funny story – I actually had never been to Cafe Zupa before I tried this soup, but recently saw one while I was traveling so I thought I’d stop in. It does taste similar, but turns I like your version way better!
Jessica says
That IS funny, Julia! I’m flattered too- so glad you like my recipe! I can’t wait until it’s cool enough I can make soup without melting- it’s still so hot here!
Annie says
Do you drain the stewed canned tomatoes, or leave the juice in with it?
Jessica says
I lightly strain them. Just use a can opener to remove the lid, then replace it, holding it on and shake the can gently a few times over the sink. That should do it!
Aubrey says
Thank you!!
Ray says
Just made it… I carmelized the onions and used Parmesan crisps instead of croutons. I had my doubts but this was outstanding!
Not quite as sweet as Zupa’s though. Maybe next time I’ll add the sugar when I blend the soup, instead of letting it cook the six hours prior.
Alison says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup Ray!
Angela says
How much olive oil is used in the pesto sauce 1/2 what (cup, teaspoon, tablespoon)?
Jessica says
1/2 cup- sorry about that!
Amy Ostler says
Crap, i added the milk at the beginning. Am i screwed?
Jessica says
Nah, you’ll be fine! You can add it at the end as well, if you’d like.
Tracy says
This soup was amazing! Definitely will make many more times. I did the crockpot version
Nicole says
We love crockpot versions!
Katy says
Is it really two stalks of celery or just two sticks?
Jessica says
2 stalks of celery