Tomato Soup Is a Hug in a Bowl. Here Are Our Best Recipes.

A grilled cheese sandwich is optional but recommended.

Ali Slagle’s tomato and Parmesan soup.Credit...Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

By Allison Jiang

Published Feb. 26, 2026Updated Feb. 26, 2026

We firmly believe that there’s a tomato soup for everyone, and here you’re bound to find one that’s just right for you. We’ve got classic as well as unconventional versions, some made with canned tomatoes, others with fresh. Need something fast for a weeknight? It’s here. Fancy a weekend project that can simmer for hours? We’ve got that, too. These recipes are all delicious and comforting, and many of them beg for a grilled-cheese dunking or two.

1. Tomato and Orzo Soup With Marinated Feta

Two white bowls of tomato orzo soup, each topped with white feta cheese, parsley and red pepper flakes. Spoons are next to and in the bowls. — Credit...Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

With a hearty base of tomato paste, orzo and stock, this soup is a full meal. The marinated feta is simple, but inspired; Noor Murad blitzes fresh parsley, olive oil and crushed red pepper together then tosses the mixture with the cheese for a vibrant topper. (If you don’t have a food processor, just chop the parsley and combine the ingredients together.)

2. Tomato-Lentil Soup With Goat Cheese

A bowl of tomato lentil soup, garnished with two dollops of goat cheese, lemon zest and black pepper. A spoon is visible. There is a small bowl of lemon wedges on the side. — Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

This recipe is perfect for when you’re craving soup, but have no fresh or canned tomatoes near. Ali Slagle uses a cup of red lentils, which melt right into the soup, and tomato paste. Plop some goat cheese on top right at the end for a touch of tanginess in each bite.

3. Spicy Tomato Soup With Gnocchi and Spinach

An overhead view of a bowl of tomato soup with gnocchi, spinach and frizzled onions. A silver spoon is in the bowl. — Credit...Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Store-bought, shelf-stable gnocchi saves the day in this warming weeknight soup from Carolina Gelen. The heat comes from a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and the sweetness from fresh basil and frizzled onions.

4. T’chicha (Barley and Tomato Soup)

Two dark green bowls hold tomato soup with pearl barley and diced tomatoes, topped with fresh thyme. A small bowl of the thyme is visible, as is a metal spoon. — Credit...Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Pearl barley, nubby and naturally thickening, adds chew to this sweet, slightly smoky soup with North African roots. Nargisse Benkabbou’s recipe is truly simple, a throw-everything-into-a-pot-and-simmer one that takes very little effort, but soothes like no other.

5. Caramelized Tomato and Shallot Soup

Two white bowls of red-orange tomato soup are topped with basil leaves, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Two silver spoons rest on the concrete surface. — Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

If you have patience and a little more time on your hands (snowed in, perhaps?), this recipe from Lidey Heuck is a worthy investment. Jammy caramelized shallots and fresh tomatoes concentrate their flavors on the bottom of the pot for about 20 minutes each, a technique that brings out the sweetness of tomatoes no matter the season.

6. Lentil Tomato Soup

A bowl of orange soup with tomato chunks, lentils and black pepper with a spoon immersed. A slice of rustic bread sits beside the bowl. — Credit...Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

Five ingredients and 30 minutes are all you need to make this reader-favorite recipe from Carolina Gelen. Browning the butter in heavy cream creates a doubly nutty, creamy soup that’s hearty from canned lentils and warming in all the familiar ways.

7. Tomato Soup

An overhead view of three bowls of orange soup, one in a yellow Dutch oven and two in white bowls on a wooden table. The bowls are topped with heavy cream and cracked black pepper, and there are spoons on the side. — Credit...Craig Lee for The New York Times

Here it is, the platonic ideal of a tomato soup. The ultimate companion to a grilled cheese sandwich, and the dish you crave on a cold day. This recipe, adapted by Jennifer Steinhauer, has about 9,000 ratings and is buttery, creamy and slightly sweet.

8. Quick Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese

A white bowl of tomato soup garnished with cracked black pepper. Two grilled cheese sandwich halves and a spoon are on a wood surface. A small dish of cracked black pepper is visible. — Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

For a classic version with a shorter ingredient list than the above, try Eric Kim’s 30-minute recipe. It includes directions for making grilled cheese sandwiches while the soup simmers, a feat of multitasking that Eric makes easy with clear instructions. A swipe of mayonnaise on the inside of the sandwiches and butter in the pan results in a perfectly gooey and crispy bite.

9. Vodka Sauce Tomato Soup

A white bowl of tomato soup, a light orange color, is garnished with ribbons of basil and cracked black pepper. It sits on a blue-green surface. There is a metal spoon to the right of the bowl. Another bowl is partially visible. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Ella Quittner tested dozens of recipes for vodka sauce to get the perfect formula for this soup, which calls for a combination of double-concentrated tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes and yes, half a cup of vodka. She throws in some Calabrian chiles, which add heat akin to that of your favorite spicy pasta.

10. Tofu and Tomato Egg Drop Soup

A bowl of tomato soup with chunks of tofu and sliced scallions. A spoon and a small plate of scallions are on a gray surface. — Credit...Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Styling by Barrett Washburne.

This cozy recipe from Hetty Lui McKinnon is built for comfort; the flavors echo those of a classic Chinese home-style stir-fried tomatoes and eggs, including those of garlic, ginger and green onion. As one commenter wrote, “Ideal for cold winter days. Like a hug in a bowl!”

11. Creamy Tomato Hummus Soup

Three white bowls filled with orange-red tomato soup sit on a grey surface. Three metallic spoons are arranged near the bowls. — Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Hummus brings a little nuttiness to this creamy soup from Carolina Gelen that doesn’t contain a drop of dairy. Use one heaping cup of the hummus, store-bought or homemade, but check to make sure it contains tahini for that very special hint of sesame.

12. Tomato-Parmesan Soup

A white bowl of red tomato soup, topped with grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper. A spoon, two pieces of toast and red drips are on the white marble surface. — Credit...Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

The bag of Parmesan rinds in your freezer has been waiting for an opportunity to shine, and this Ali Slagle recipe provides it. The rinds pump up the savory notes. Quick Parmesan toasts for dipping are optional, but are they really?

13. Tomato and White Bean Soup With Lots of Garlic

Three bowls of orange tomato soup with swirls of cream, topped with cracked black pepper. Toasted bread slices and dark utensils rest on a wooden table. — Credit...Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

This recipe from Ali Slagle might be the easiest tomato soup ever. It calls for just seven ingredients, and true to its name, one of them is a lot of garlic: Ten cloves (!) are smashed flat, lightly browned, then blended into creamy, tomatoey goodness.

14. Smoky Tomato Soup

A bowl of red tomato soup, viewed from above, with swirls of cream and chopped chives as garnish. A silver spoon rests in the soup. — Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

For Alexa Weibel’s decidedly grown-up version of tomato soup, simmer an ancho chile and smoked paprika along with your classic ingredients. The chile adds a subtle heat — but feel free to blend it in with the soup instead of removing it, to kick it up, or substitute ancho chile powder to dial it down, like some commenters did.

15. Warming Tomato and Pinto Bean Soup

Two bowls of brownish tomato soup topped with green avocado cubes and swirls of crema. Tortilla chips and a lime wedge rest on a marble surface. There is spoon immersed in the soup. — Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

This quick soup from Kristina Felix will warm you up in more ways than one. It’s smoky and spicy from two chopped chipotles in adobo (not two cans!), which you can find in most supermarkets. Top it with sliced avocado, Mexican crema and crunchy tortilla chips for texture.

16. Easy Tomato and Stars Soup

A white bowl of tomato soup contains tiny star-shaped pasta and a spoon, topped with a dollop of sour cream. A lime wedge sits beside the bowl. — Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

“This was a childhood staple in my Mexican American household,” one reader wrote of this Kristina Felix recipe, which is a simplified version of sopa de fideo. Toasting the pasta before adding the blended tomato, onion and garlic adds a lovely, nutty flavor. And, to paraphrase Kristina, use a pasta shape that makes you smile.

17. Quick Tomato, White Bean and Kale Soup

Two bowls of vegetable soup, topped with white beans, shredded kale and slivered Parmesan. A piece of crusty bread rests next to the foreground bowl. — Credit...Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

For those who prefer a chunkier, heartier soup, Martha Rose Shulman’s recipe is for you. Carrots, celery, kale, potato and white beans join canned tomatoes for a filling and nutritious meal that’s ready in under an hour. Bay leaves, fresh herbs and a Parmesan rind work beautifully here, if you have them.

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