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Tomato Basil Bisque {made without heavy cream}

Tomato basil bisque is a creamy, comforting soup. The best tomato bisque I’ve ever had, and it’s a lightened-up version because this tomato bisque is made without heavy cream.

overhead photo of a dutch oven full of tomato bisque and a bowl of bisque with a grilled cheese sandwich

My friend, Keri, sent me this wonderful tomato bisque recipe. It’s a family favorite in their house. I love this lightened-up version of a traditionally cream-based soup. This tomato basil bisque is full of flavor, so you won’t even miss the heavy cream. Serve with a big hearty salad or loaf of crusty whole-grain bread. Delicious.

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for tomato bisque without heavy cream on a counter ready to cook
You’ll also need olive oil for sautéing vegetables
  • Olive oil- a good quality extra virgin olive oil recommended
  • Onion- I used sweet Vidalia onion but yellow onion works here, too
  • Carrots- peeled and sliced into small pieces
  • Garlic- fresh garlic is a must for flavor!
  • Canned Roma tomatoes- you’ll need two 28 oz cans of whole peeled Roma tomatoes. I highly recommend using San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor. The flesh is sweeter and dense with fewer seeds with less acid.
  • Chicken broth- go with a rich, flavorful, chicken broth or stock. I wouldn’t recommend bone broth since most store-bought bone broths lack both flavor and salt.
  • Basil- fresh or dried basil works great in this recipe. I always grow basil in the summer and prefer fresh when available.
  • Cayenne pepper- for a very mild kick. You can leave this out if you don’t like a little bit of heat.
  • Coarse salt and pepper, to taste. The amount of salt needed depends on the saltiness of your broth or stock. Taste and adjust to your personal preference.

How To Make Tomato Basil Bisque without Cream

Step 1. Chop the tomatoes. Drain the tomatoes and coarsely chop.

chopped canned roma tomatoes for tomato bisque

Step 2. Saute veggies. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large saucepan and add the onion and carrots. Cook until the onion is soft and opaque, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for one more minute. 

sauteed carrots and onions in a dutch oven

Step 3. Simmer the soup. Add drained and chopped tomatoes, broth, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered until all veggies are tender, about 30-35 minutes.

tomato basil soup ingredients in a dutch oven ready to simmer
Tomato bisque in a dutch oven ready to simmer
tomato basil soup after simmering and ready to puree
Creamless tomato bisque after simmering for 30 minutes.

Step 4. Purée soup. Use an immersion blender and puree to your desired consistency (I like to leave some texture to this soup). You can also puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.  If you’re using a regular blender or food processor and want a bit of texture, you can blend half the soup and leave half chunky. If blending, return the pureed soup to the pot and warm it up to serving temperature. 

pureed tomato bisque with a ladle for serving

Meal Planning Tip

Make this soup a day ahead and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in a crockpot on warm to serve the next day. Delicious with freshly grated Parmesan and an ooey-gooey homemade grilled cheese. 😉

spoonful of tomato bisque over a bowl

More Delicious Soup Recipes

Creamy Instant Pot Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage Soup with Ravioli

Crockpot Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

Slowcooker Southern Ham Vegetable Soup

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close up of a bowl of tomato bisque made without cream with a grilled cheese and spoon
close up of a bowl of tomato bisque with a sprig of fresh herbs behind it

Tomato Basil Bisque

 Tomato basil bisque is a creamy, comforting soup. The best tomato bisque I’ve ever had, and it’s a lightened up version, because this bisque is made without heavy cream.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 151kcal
Author: Amee

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups yellow onion chopped. I used sweet vidalia onion
  • 1 cup carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 56 oz canned whole Roma tomatoes I used two 28oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Coarse salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp basil fresh or dried

Instructions

  • Drain the tomatoes thoroughly and coarsely chop.
  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large saucepan and add the onion and carrots. Cook until the onion is soft and opaque, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for one more minute. 
  • Add tomatoes, broth, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered until all veggies are tender, about 30-35 minutes.
  • Use an immersion blender and puree to your desired consistency (I like to leave some texture to this soup). You can also puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.  If you're using a regular blender or food processor and want a bit of texture, you can blend half the soup and leave half chunky. If blending, return the pureed soup to the pot and warm it up to serving temperature. Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed.

Notes

Meal Planning Tip: Make this soup a day ahead and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Heat in a crockpot on warm to serve the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5825IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
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*This post has been updated from the original version published in 2011.

Amee Livingston
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7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is Fantastic! I was looking for a flavorful, non-cream/butter/flour based tomato bisque. This recipe Is awesome! I substituted Roma, Beefsteak, and Delicious tomatoes from our garden instead of canned. A smashing success! Thank you!

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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