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Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque That Elevates Classic Comfort Food

When it comes to classic tomato soup—whether a silky bisque or a humble canned version—the taste often unlocks warm memories.

Top-down shot of a bowl of tomato bisque garnished with cream and basil oil, with a spoon on a folded gray and white cloth napkin, a jar of green herb oil, sprigs of fresh basil, and slices of sourdough bread, on a blue cloth background.

The bright, rich tomato flavor balanced with gentle acidity and a lingering sweetness is irresistible — for many of us it’s the ultimate comfort food.

Top-down shot of a bowl of tomato bisque garnished with a drizzle of cream and basil oil, on a blue cloth background with a sprig of basil, jar of herb oil, slices of sourdough bread, a folded white and gray cloth napkin, and a spoon.

Chefs and home cooks continually reinvent comfort classics, and this creamy tomato basil bisque is a modern take that’s worth trying. It keeps everything you love about a traditional tomato soup but adds a luxurious creaminess and the bright herb flavor of fresh basil.

Closely cropped shot of a white soup bowl of pale orange tomato bisque, garnished with heavy cream and herb oil, with a jar of more oil and a sprig of basil in the background, with a folded cloth napkin topped with a piece of silverware to the left, on a beige surface topped with a blue cloth.

This recipe uses ripe tomatoes, a flavorful base of onion and garlic, chicken or vegetable stock, and a finishing touch of heavy cream. A small batch of homemade basil oil adds an herbaceous, fragrant garnish that elevates the soup.

A slice of sourdough bread is half submerged in a white ceramic bowl of pale orange bisque garnished with heavy cream and herb oil, with a jam jar of more of the green oil in the background beside a sprig of basil, next to a folded white and gray striped cloth napkin with a spoon on top, on a blue tablecloth.

Serve it by itself, with garlic toast, or alongside a gooey grilled cheese sandwich for a classic pairing. It’s not only comforting but likely to bring back fond mealtime memories.

A jar of green herb oil in the foreground, with a white bowl of tomato soup with a piece of sourdough bread resting on the rim and a folded light blue napkin in the background, on a table topped with a royal blue cloth.

The basil oil is simple: blend basil and olive oil until smooth, then strain gently twice to avoid bitter flavors. It stores in the refrigerator for up to a week and is useful on salads, bruschetta, grilled chicken, or drizzled over the finished soup.

A spoonful of pale orange tomato soup is held up to the camera, with a bowl of bisque in the background, with half a piece of sourdough bread balanced on the rim, next to a gray and white patterned cloth napkin, on a blue tablecloth.

This bisque keeps the fresh tomato flavor front and center while gaining depth from a well-seasoned base and the silky finish of cream. It’s an excellent way to showcase seasonal tomatoes and fresh basil.

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Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

This creamy tomato basil bisque is the ideal comfort food to enjoy at the end of a long day. Rich, smooth, and fragrant, it pairs beautifully with a grilled cheese sandwich or crusty bread.

Ingredients

For the Basil Oil:

  • 1 cup lightly packed basil leaves
  • 2 cups olive oil

For the Soup:

  • 8 large ripe red tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. To make the basil oil, puree the basil leaves and olive oil in a high-speed blender until smooth.
  2. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or chinois twice, without pressing, to avoid bitterness.
  3. Let the oil rest for 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While it rests, prepare the soup.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score an “X” on the blossom end of each tomato and add them to the boiling water.
  5. Boil the tomatoes 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer them to an ice bath. Once cool, peel the skins.
  6. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds and cores. Reserve seeds and juices in a small bowl, then press the juices through a sieve into the bowl of tomatoes to capture the flavor without the seeds.
  7. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 7 minutes. Do not brown.
  8. Add the tomatoes, reserved juices, chicken stock, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by about one quarter, roughly 20 minutes.
  9. Turn off the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, work in batches.
  10. Return the pureed soup to the pot, bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the cream and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of basil oil and a splash of heavy cream. Serve immediately with toasted garlic bread or grilled cheese.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Lunch

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Cooking By the Numbers

Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients

Wash produce and dry the basil thoroughly. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and roughly chop the basil leaves. Measure the remaining ingredients and set them aside.

A small pile of six red tomatoes with a few cloves of garlic, sprigs of basil, and a white onion, on a brightly lit beige countertop.

Step 2 – Make Basil Oil

Puree basil and olive oil until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve without pressing. Strain once more into a clean bowl, let rest for two hours, and store in the refrigerator.

A green basil mixture straining into a stainless steel bowl through a stainless mesh strainer, on a beige countertop.

Step 3 – Blanch Tomatoes and Remove Seeds

Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Score the bottom of each tomato with an “X,” blanch for 30–60 seconds, then cool in the ice bath and peel. Halve the tomatoes, remove seeds and cores, and press reserved juices through a sieve into the bowl with the tomato flesh.

Closeup of peeled and chopped tomatoes and their juices, in a stock pot.

Step 4 – Start the Bisque Base

Heat oil in a large pot, sauté onion and garlic until softened, add the tomatoes, stock, and sugar, then simmer until reduced by a quarter, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool slightly.

Oil, chopped white onion, and minced garlic in a white and blue enamel stock pot.

Step 5 – Puree

Puree the bisque with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, cool the soup and process in batches.

Creamy pale orange tomato bisque in a large light blue and white enameled stockpot.

Step 6 – Finish and Serve

Return the soup to the pot, simmer, stir in the cream and chopped basil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with a drizzle of basil oil and extra cream if desired.

Top-down closely cropped shot of a stockpot filled with orange soup, with finely minced basil and white cream sprinkled and drizzled on top, to the left and right of the pot, on a beige countertop.

The Number One Comfort Food

This bisque is a delicious, fresh interpretation of a timeless favorite. When tomatoes and basil are in season, it’s a must on the menu.

A bowl of creamy tomato basil bisque with a cream and herb oil garnish, next to a spoon on top of a folded white and gray cloth napkin, on a blue background with two pieces of bread.

Leftover basil oil has many uses: drizzle it over a caprese salad or bruschetta, toss it with roasted vegetables, or brush it on chicken before grilling.

Share what you’ll serve alongside this soup in the comments, and rate the recipe if you try it.

More blended soups you might enjoy:

  • Velvety Carrot
  • Cream of Asparagus
  • Cream of Pistachio
  • Celery Root and Apple

Don’t forget to Pin it!

A collage of photos showing different views of tomato basil bisque recipe.

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Originally published by Shanna Mallon and Jacqui MacKenzie on September 26, 2009. Last updated January 1, 2020. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.

Nutritional information is an approximation derived from a database and not provided by a registered dietitian or lab testing.