Rainy day + cold weather = a warm bowl of homemade tomato soup! ❤️

If you’ve ever had that simple tomato soup served on a train journey — you know exactly the kind of comfort I’m talking about. That warm, slightly spiced, deeply satisfying bowl that makes everything feel better.

I’m a huge fan of tomato soup and I love keeping it simple — no cream, no fancy ingredients, just tomatoes cooked with everyday spices and blended until smooth.

This is Soup Series Episode 1 and it’s the one I always turn to when I have a cold or cough. It really really helps! ❤️

Comforting, warming, and so easy to make at home. 🍅

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Tomato Soup

🍅 Simple and comforting — just like the soup served on train journeys
🌿 No cream needed — pure tomato flavour with everyday spices
🤧 Perfect for cold and cough — warming spices make it deeply soothing
🌧️ Rainy day essential — nothing beats a hot bowl on a cold evening
⚡ Easy to make — simple steps anyone can follow
❤️ Soup Series Episode 1 — the one that started it all!

How to Make Homemade Tomato Soup

This soup comes together in three simple stages — cook, blend, and finish!

Step 1 — Cook the base:
Heat a pan and add bay leaf and seeds from 1 black cardamom.
Add garlic, ginger and green chillies — sauté well.
Add sliced onions and fry until soft.
Add 6 tomatoes, chopped coriander stems, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
Add piping hot water, cover and cook for 25 minutes.

Step 2 — Blend and strain:
Let it cool completely — this step is important!
Remove the bay leaf.
Transfer everything to a mixer and blend until smooth.
Strain it well and add it back to the pan.

Step 3 — Finish:
Add hot water according to your preferred consistency.
Add 2 tbsp ketchup, a little sugar, chaat masala and salt if needed.
Mix and let it boil nicely for 5-10 minutes.
Finish with a little butter and serve hot! 🍅❤️

Homemade Tomato Soup in 30 mins | Simple Comforting Soup Series Episode 1

A simple, comforting homemade tomato soup made with fresh tomatoes and everyday spices — no cream needed, perfect for rainy days, cold and cough, and cosy evenings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course: Soup, starter

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 bay leaf
• Seeds from 1 black cardamom
• 7 garlic cloves
• Small piece ginger
• 2 green chillies
• 2 onions sliced
• 6 tomatoes
• Coriander stems
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• Salt
• Hot water as required
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• Sugar to taste
• Chaat masala
• Butter

Equipment

• pan

Method

 

1. Heat a pan and add bay leaf and seeds from 1 black cardamom.
   
2. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies. Sauté well.
3. Add sliced onions and fry until soft.
   
4. Add tomatoes, coriander stems, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
   
5. Add piping hot water, cover and cook for 25 minutes.
   
6. Let it cool completely. Remove bay leaf.
7. Transfer to a mixer and blend until smooth.
   
8. Strain well and add back to the pan.
9. Add hot water for preferred consistency.
   
10. Add ketchup, sugar, chaat masala and salt if needed.
    
11. Boil for 5-10 minutes.
    
12. Finish with butter and serve hot.
    

Notes

Always cool completely before blending — blending hot soup in a mixer can be dangerous and affect the texture.
Remove the bay leaf before blending — it doesn’t blend well and affects the texture.
Use piping hot water while cooking — it keeps the temperature consistent and helps the tomatoes cook faster.
Strain the soup well — this gives you that smooth silky restaurant-style texture.
Chaat masala and ketchup are the secret ingredients that give this soup its unique tangy depth.
Use coriander stems not leaves — stems have more flavour and work beautifully in soups.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Homemade Tomato Soup

• Cool completely before blending — never blend hot soup; always let it cool completely first for safety and better texture
• Strain really well — don’t skip straining; a well-strained soup has that beautiful smooth silky finish
• Coriander stems — use the stems not the leaves while cooking; stems have more concentrated flavour that works perfectly in soups
• Black cardamom seeds only — use only the seeds from the black cardamom not the whole pod; it adds a subtle smoky warmth without overpowering
• Chaat masala is the secret — that little pinch of chaat masala gives the soup a tangy depth that makes it taste special
• Butter at the end — always add butter right before serving for richness and that restaurant-style finish

What to Serve With Homemade Tomato Soup

🍞 Toasted bread or croutons — the classic soup pairing
🧀 Grilled cheese toast — rich and comforting
🥖 Garlic bread — perfect for dipping
🍪 Plain crackers — light and simple
☕ On its own in a mug — the most comforting way on a cold rainy evening

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add cream to this soup?
Yes — stir in 2-3 tbsp of fresh cream after straining for a richer creamier version. But this version is delicious without cream too!

Is this soup good for cold and cough?
Yes! The combination of ginger, garlic, green chillies, pepper and warm spices makes this soup deeply soothing and warming when you have a cold or cough.

Can I skip the ketchup?
Ketchup adds a subtle sweetness and tang that balances the soup beautifully. You can skip it but add a little extra sugar and lemon juice instead.

Can I make this in advance?
Can I make this in advance?
Yes! Make the soup and cool it completely. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.Whenever you need it just take out the required cubes, add a little water and steam or heat until hot. Fresh comfortingsoup ready in minutes — anytime! ☕❤️

Why use piping hot water instead of cold water?
Hot water keeps the cooking temperature consistent and helps the tomatoes cook faster and more evenly.

Can I use a hand blender instead of a mixer?
Yes — blend directly in the pan with a hand blender. Just make sure it’s cooled enough before blending.

A Note From My Kitchen 🤍

There’s something about train journey tomato soup that stays with you.

That warm, simple, slightly spiced bowl served in a small cup — it’s pure comfort in liquid form.

This is my homemade version of exactly that feeling.

No cream. No fancy technique. Just fresh tomatoes, simple spices, and patience.

And when you have a cold or cough — make this. It really really helps. 😊❤️

Soup Series Episode 1 — many more warming bowls coming your way! 🍅

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a comment below — are you a tomato soup fan too? 😍

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