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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Butter-Braised Tomato Soup

4 Servings

40 minutes

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In “The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking,” Marcella Hazan shared her now-famous recipe for a sublimely delicious, remarkably simple sauce made with nothing more than tomatoes, onion and butter. This soup turns that sauce into a light meal. If you own an immersion blender, the soup can be pureed directly in the pot, but the texture won’t be as velvety as if processed in a conventional blender. We top individual bowlfuls with olive oil-toasted baguette slices, a dollop of pesto and shaved Parmesan. Homemade pesto is best, of course, but store-bought is fine; we’ve found, however, that refrigerated pesto tastes fresher than the shelf-stable type sold in jars. A Y-style vegetable peeler is the best tool for planing off wide, thin shavings from a chunk of Parmesan cheese.

4

Servings

Tip

Don’t use underripe tomatoes. The best soup is made with ripe, in-season tomatoes. However, in non-summer months, Campari tomatoes (also known as cocktail tomatoes) work almost as well. We don’t recommend cherry or grape tomatoes, as their tough skins don’t puree well.

40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 8

    ¼-inch-thick baguette slices

Directions

Reviews
ARLYNN H.
January 22, 2026
I have a Question?
There are no good fresh tomatoes in most to the states this time of year. Is there away this can be made with high quality canned tomatoes?
CLAUDIA A.
November 17, 2025
THE best tomato soup
Such a hit with everyone. My only mod was that I sautéed the onion in the butter before braising the tomatoes rather than boiling the onions in the tomato base and it gave a nice extra depth to the flavors.
JEANNETTE S.
November 3, 2025
Jeannette S
This was absolutely delicious! My husband who doesn’t care for tomato soup loves this version. I also shared it with neighbors who loved it!
GAIL H.
October 22, 2025
Easy and so delicious!
It’s remarkable how fabulous tomatoes and onion simmering in butter and chicken stock can make your home smell! Four simple ingredients. About 30 minutes total. It doesn’t get easier and the flavor is divine.
LARISA N.
September 8, 2025
Outstanding and easy!
Outstanding! Made as described except added sun-dried tomato paste during the braising
Mia L.

Very tasty and easy to make! My 3yo also enjoyed it!


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