Tomato Parmesan Soup
This delicious tomato Parmesan soup is made with just seven ingredients for a simple yet flavorful recipe! Transform a few basic pantry staples into a tasty bowl of soup in minutes.
Is there anything better than a warm bowl of tomato soup? This tomato Parmesan soup recipe uses canned tomatoes and just a few pantry staples, so you can have a fresh bowl of tomato soup in no time. I love the salty Parmesan in this recipe and it’s the perfect soup to serve with a slice of crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich!
To make this tomato Parmesan soup, you’ll need:
- Olive oil- You may substitute butter or a neutral oil like avocado oil if you prefer.
- Onion- White or yellow onions are fine.
- Canned tomatoes- I prefer diced tomatoes but whole tomatoes work well, too.
- Crushed red pepper flakes- This adds a nice spicy flavor.
- Parmesan cheese- I prefer to grate my own Parmesan cheese so it melts into the soup.
- Garlic salt- Feel free to use garlic powder and salt, if you don’t have garlic salt.
Substitution Ideas
- If you don’t have diced tomatoes, you can use whole canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes. If substituting fresh tomatoes, you’ll need about 3 cups of chopped tomatoes.
- I like crushed red pepper for a spicy flavor but if you don’t like spicy food, simply leave it out or substitute with a pinch of black pepper for a milder flavor.
- I like to use low sodium “not chicken” style broth, which tastes like chicken broth but is vegetarian. You can substitute any type of vegetable broth you like.
- If you want to add more veggies, create a basic mirepoix by adding celery and carrots when you’re softening the onion.
Is Tomato Parmesan Soup Healthy?
Yes! This soup is loaded with vegetables and a little bit of Parmesan adds lots of flavor without a lot of additional calories. Since this isn’t a creamy soup, it’s lower in fat than other tomato soups. I’ve included all the nutritional information just below the recipe.
Is Parmesan cheese vegetarian?
It’s important to note that authentic Parmesan cheese is made with rennet, which is an enzyme that’s found in the lining of a goat or calf’s stomach. Because of this, strict vegetarians may not consider Parmesan cheese to be vegetarian. That said, I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t eat meat or fish, but I’m not too concerned with things like rennet. If you’d like a completely vegetarian substitution, look for a type of cheese that is made with vegetable rennet. This will not be true Parmesan cheese, but there are alternatives that are very similar. BelGioioso makes a vegetarian version of Parmesan cheese that is nearly identical to the real deal but without animal rennet.
What is the Best Type of Tomato for Tomato Soup?
There are various ways to make tomato soup, using fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes. To keep things simple, this recipe uses canned tomatoes. I used diced tomatoes because that’s typically what I have in my pantry but you can also use whole tomatoes. They’ll break down in the cooking process and since we’re blending the soup anyway, the size won’t matter. I also love using San Marzano tomatoes, which have a lovely, bright, flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Obviously, this tomato soup is perfect with a grilled cheese! But you can also try it with a hearty kale salad or a grilled halloumi sandwich. If you’re looking for a lower-carb meal, try serving this soup with an easy halloumi salad! It has the savory flavor of a grilled cheese but it’s served on a bed of greens and veggies instead of bread! Or pair this with this easy 15 minute Parmesan Orzo Pasta!
Tips for Blending Hot Soup
Blending soup is easiest with an immersion blender. This stick-style blender can be used directly in the pot. You can blend until you get your desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the soup cool slightly and carefully transfer to a blender. When blending, ensure that steam can escape from the lid. Do not attempt this with a bullet style blender!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave. If you wanted to prepare a batch for the freezer, I recommend making the recipe through step 4, then let it cool and freeze the soup in a glass container. I don’t recommend adding the Parmesan cheese to the soup if you plan to freeze it. Wait to add the cheese when you’re reheating and ready to serve.
PrintTomato Parmesan Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Soup
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This delicious tomato Parmesan soup is made with just seven ingredients for a simple yet flavorful recipe! Transform a few basic pantry staples into a tasty bowl of soup in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 (15 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: fresh basil or additional parmesan for serving
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat for 30 seconds.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, and garlic salt and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully transfer into a blender, being careful to allow steam to escape, and blend for 10-20 seconds until slightly chunky.
- Garnish with fresh basil or additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This makes a pretty incredible meal, especially with a grilled cheese! We enjoyed this with a smoked gouda grilled cheese and it was a great combination!
Looking for a creamier soup recipe? Try this creamy tomato soup!
If you want to turn it into a main dish, try this budget-friendly tomato and rice soup!
Can’t get enough Parmesan? Try this easy Parmesan Orzo Pasta!
What’s your favorite thing to pair with tomato soup?
Oh man! This looks absolutely delicious! Perfect for today’s rainy, dreary weather!
I’m glad summer rain gives me an excuse to break out “wintery” foods!
Mmm I could totally go for a grilled tomato mozzarella sandwich with tomato soup! I used to ask my mom to take me to TJs just to buy the ingredients for that meal. We actually have everything needed for this recipe…so it just might happen soon! 🙂
I really need to make tomato soup and a grilled cheese- I’ve been craving it forever!
This looks AMAZING! I love tomato soup and the addition of parmesan sounds perfect! Corrie @ travelingheartsphotography.blogspot.com
I love tomato soup esp with basil and a splash of cream 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious! Because he works 2nd shift (3-11), my hubby and I typically share a lunch, around 1:00 or so…before he heads out on his long commute. Lately, I’ve been whipping up various soups….of course, with grilled cheese. Yesterday, I made a butternut squash soup, from butternut squash harvested from my father’s garden. It was to die for… 🙂 Looks like I’ll have to make this one soon, too…
Yum! Butternut squash soup sounds amazing!
yummy in my tummy!! can tomato soup be eaten w/o a bit of cheese? i don’t think so!!! happy weekend!
Tomato soup and cheese is basically like chocolate and peanut butter. They’re both good on their on, but clearly they were made for each other.
I am absolutely making this – been meaning to make my own tomato soup.
I am saving this recipe for when it cools down a bit! Tomato soup is one of my faves!
Tomato soup has always been one of my favourites, and it’s even better when there’s grilled cheese involved <3 I've been hitting up the farmers market a lot lately, and the tomatoes and carrots that I get from there are to.die.for.