Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes

Learn how to make this homemade Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes and a handful of aromatics, herbs, and cream. It’s silky smooth, undeniably fresh, and easy to make in one pot!

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a bowl of tomato bisque on a blue plate with a grilled cheese sandwich.

The best homemade tomato soup

As summer comes to an end, you need a dish that represents the transition from bold, vibrant flavors into the warming comfort foods of fall. This Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes is perfect! It’s made with the last bunch of ripe summer tomatoes and finished with cream to give it a silky smooth texture.

This fresh tomato bisque is much more comforting than a traditional tomato soup recipe and it’s all thanks to the cream! Just like my Creamy Cauliflower Soup and Zuppa Toscana, the batch is finished with a good amount of heavy cream for that signature velvety smooth mouthfeel. It’s what keeps you coming back for more.

a woman's hand dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into a bowl of tomato bisque.

Tomato bisque vs. tomato soup

The difference between tomato bisque and tomato soup comes down to the texture, broth, and amount of cream. Traditionally, a bisque is a pureed soup made with a shellfish stock and heavy cream base. Tomato soup is more liquidy because it’s made with pureed vegetables and stock.

A bisque can be somewhat heavy and creamy but very comforting. Serve it up hot or let it chill in the fridge before enjoying it cold (you can’t do that with tomato soup)!

Ingredients for tomato bisque in individual bowls on a white tray.

Ingredients and substitutions

You won’t find anything complicated in this tomato bisque recipe. The most important rule is to find the freshest tomatoes in order to achieve that garden fresh flavor. Here’s what you need:

Tomatoes – You can use any variety of tomatoes to make tomato bisque, such as cherry, grape, heirloom, Roma, San Marzano, beefsteak, or fire-roasted tomatoes. Use whatever you have on hand or, if you find yourself without any fresh tomatoes, use canned whole tomatoes instead.
Vegetables – Like carrots, onion, and garlic. Even more can be added for extra substance and nutrition, such as diced potatoes, celery, squash, or bell peppers.
Oregano – Fresh oregano is best. Feel free to add extra seasonings to enhance the Italian flavors. A pre-mixed Italian seasoning blend is a quick solution or you can sprinkle in basil, thyme, rosemary, or marjoram.
Chicken stock – Or use vegetable stock if you’re vegetarian.
Heavy cream – Try not to leave this out! Otherwise, your bisque will be a regular tomato soup.

4 images showing how to make tomato bisque in a large pink pot.

How to make tomato bisque with fresh tomatoes

Begin by cooking the vegetables. Add the oil and melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Next, add the carrots and onions and saute until the onions are translucent. To finish, add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Now you can add the tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and chicken stock into the pot. Give everything a good stir.

Bring the soup up to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer until the tomatoes have begun to break down.

Once it’s done simmering, take the pot off of the heat and season the soup with fresh basil leaves.

Blend until smooth. Either ladle the soup into a large blender bowl or use an immersion blender to puree the batch in the pot. Blend until smooth.

Pour the pureed tomato soup back into the pot. Stir in the cream until it’s fully incorporated and looking silky smooth.

Serve. Ladle the creamy tomato bisque into bowls and garnish with more fresh basil and a swirl of cream on top. Serve with crusty bread or grilled cheese on the side and enjoy!

a wooden spoon stirring a large pot of tomato bisque.

Roasted tomato bisque

Roasting the tomatoes in the oven will add depth and enhance their naturally sweet flavor in the bisque. To do so, quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Lay them on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil and salt before roasting them in a 400ºF oven for 15-20 minutes.

Once they’re blistered and have released a lot of their juices, transfer the roasted tomatoes to the pot with the sauteed vegetables and continue the recipe as normal.

Tips and variations

Add dynamic flavors with extra vegetables. Replace some of the tomatoes with diced butternut squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or roasted red peppers.
Is it too acidic? You can break up the acidity by stirring a pinch of sugar into the soup.
To make a vegan tomato bisque, replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and use canned full-fat coconut cream or cashew cream instead of heavy cream.

Storing and freezing

To Store. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To Freeze. Transfer tomato bisque to an airtight, freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat. Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.

3 bowls of tomato bisque topped with a creamy drizzle and green herbs.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to peel tomatoes for soup?

The peels do not affect the texture, flavor, or quality of the soup, which means they can be left on or off. If you want to peel the tomatoes first, boil the whole tomatoes in water for 1 minute before immediately transferring them to a bowl of ice water. Remove and discard the peels.

Should you remove the seeds from tomatoes when making soup?

Just like the peels, tomato seeds can add another layer of flavor to the bisque. And, since it’s a blended soup, you don’t have to worry about getting seeds stuck in your teeth. It’s more important to de-seed tomatoes when making fresher meals, like tomato salad, because they contain so much extra liquid.

Can you use milk instead of cream?

I wouldn’t recommend it because milk won’t make the bisque as thick or creamy.

What are the best tomatoes to use in tomato bisque?

Any you have on hand! Tomato bisque recipes can be made with fresh, roasted, or canned tomatoes of any variety. Some of the most popular are fire-roasted, Roma, San Marzano, cherry, or grape tomatoes.

How many tomatoes are in 1 pound?

It depends on the type of fresh tomatoes you’re using. Use this conversion chart from The Spruce Eats to figure out just how many tomatoes you need for this recipe.

Looking for more ways to use fresh tomatoes?

Did you try this Tomato Bisque Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or share a picture on Instagram! I love to share all of your recreations on my page.