Tomato soup is that old brisk-day standby. It’s the soup that warms you to your core on a chilly winter’s day, a traditional staple. But for culinary adventurers, tomato soup is like a blank canvas in the kitchen. So much can be done with it to liven it up in uniquely tasty ways. For instance, it’s very simple to convert your everyday tomato soup into something spicy and a little more rustic in flavor, simply with the additions of red pepper flakes and cumin. Get ready for some real warmth down to your core.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Rustic, herby tomato with a little red wine depth, earthy cumin and a steady red pepper heat. |
| Primary heat source | A tablespoon of red pepper flakes, usually cayenne-based. 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. |
| Heat level | Medium-hot with the full tablespoon, and noticeably milder with 2 teaspoons. |
| Texture | As smooth or as chunky as you blend it, with flecks of herbs throughout. |
| Best uses | A cold-day lunch with grilled cheese, or a starter before dinner. |
| Customization ideas | Fewer flakes for less heat, a chipotle for smoke, or a splash of cream to soften it. |
| Before you start | About 1 hour 40 minutes, mostly hands-off simmering. You’ll need an immersion blender or a regular blender. |
Flavor notes
Crushed red pepper is usually built on cayenne, which runs 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units. A full tablespoon in four bowls of soup gives real heat, and you’ll feel it build as you eat. Not sure your crowd can take it? Start with 2 teaspoons, taste after blending, and stir in more flakes if you want them.
The flakes and dried herbs go into the hot oil for about 30 seconds before the wine, just until they smell fragrant. Don’t leave them much longer than that, since scorched spices taste bitter and that bitterness carries through the whole pot.
The red wine adds depth, but not all of its alcohol cooks off. USDA figures show about 25% of it still there after an hour of simmering, so if you’re serving kids or anyone who avoids alcohol, use another half cup of vegetable broth instead.
Save a little of the basil for the end. Most of it simmers with the tomatoes for an hour, and a sprinkle of fresh basil on top brings back the bright, fresh flavor that the long simmer takes out.
An immersion blender lets you blend right in the pot. If you’re using a regular blender, fill it no more than halfway, take out the center cap, and cover the opening with a folded towel while it runs. And season at the very end, since canned tomatoes and broth vary a lot in how salty they are.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, or make the soup richer or heartier.
- Want it milder? Use 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, or swirl a little cream into each bowl.
- Want some smoke? Add a chipotle in adobo along with the tomatoes, or swap a teaspoon of the flakes for smoked paprika.
- Skipping the wine? Use another half cup of vegetable broth, and add a splash of red wine vinegar at the end if you’d like a little tang back.
- Want it creamy? Stir in half a cup of heavy cream after blending, or use coconut milk to keep it vegan.
- Want it heartier? Stir in a can of drained white beans or a cup of cooked small pasta after blending.
Serving ideas
It’s a soup that wants something to dunk in it.
- With grilled cheese. The classic pairing, and a spicy sandwich like chipotle grilled cheese or a jalapeño popper grilled cheese keeps the heat going.
- With crusty bread. Warm, buttered and torn, for a simple lunch.
- With toppings. Fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan or a handful of croutons.
- As a starter. In small cups before a pasta dinner or a roast chicken.
Storage notes
Let the soup cool, then keep it in a sealed container in the fridge and use it within three to four days. It freezes well, too, for two to three months.
If you added cream, freeze the soup before the cream goes in and stir it in when you reheat. Warm it gently on the stove, and taste again for salt before serving.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Chipotle Tomato Soup: Tomato soup with the smoky heat of chipotle in adobo.
- Spicy Creamy Tomato Soup: Total comfort food, creamy and rich, with a fiery edge.
- Mexican Tomato Soup: A spicy tomato soup with a bright, citrusy hit of lime.
A globe-spanning collection of 100 bold, fiery recipes — soups, fiery mains, curries, handhelds, snacks, sauces, even brunch — drawn from over a decade of PepperScale favorites.
Wicked Wednesday subscribers save 15% — join free.
Spicy Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes use 2 teaspoons for a milder soup
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 28-ounce cans, with their juice
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped, divided
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes, thyme, cumin and oregano and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the red wine and simmer until it has reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes with their juice and increase the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, stir in most of the basil (save a little for topping) and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring now and then.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender until it is as smooth or as chunky as you like. Season with salt and pepper, then serve topped with the reserved basil.
