Skip to main content

Pure Cream of Tomato Soup

3.8

(104)

Photo of two bowls of Edna Lewis' Creamy Tomato Soup with two spoons and glasses of water on the side.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

Cream of tomato soup should be gentle and soothing. This is a perfect example. Adding baking soda to the tomatoes keeps the milk from curdling.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    7 cups

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
1/2 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)

Preparation

  1. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture and continue to stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, bay leaf, sugar, and salt and continue to cook and stir until slightly thickened. Stir the baking soda into the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the milk, and bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and put through a strainer. Taste and correct seasonings. Reheat before serving.

Cover of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook 1996 edition.
Excerpted by permission of Knopf from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of America's Great Classic Cookbook, copyright © 1996 by Marion Cunningham. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This pasta starring summer corn achieves its savory, creamy sauce thanks to one special ingredient: buttermilk powder.
This fast stir-fry dish pairs minced pork and fragrant basil with hot Thai chiles and a crispy fried egg.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Juicy steak, crisp lettuce, and a blender dressing come together for a breezy summer dinner.
This frozen cocktail uses instant espresso for a strong flavor and unbeatable convenience.