Creamy Tomato Pasta Soup – An easy one pot creamy parmesan and tomato soup that is so comforting!  This soup features your favorite pasta and is loaded with cheesy goodness.

bowl of creamy tomato pasta soup

Creamy Tomato Pasta Soup:

I absolutely love Creamy Tomato Soup and making it homemade (or semi-homemade) is so simple and easy!  There is no blending tomatoes involved at all in this recipe and it’s made all in one pot in 30 minutes or less!  This soup came about because I had made our version of Vodka Sauce and I thought it would be amazing to make a soup version.  I was right!  The vodka can be left out, but it does add a great flavor and this soup is out of this world!  It’s basically a mixture of the vodka sauce and our Tortellini Lasagna Soup, so cheesy and cozy!

Ingredients:

This recipe is made mostly with pantry staples that you already probably have on hand!  It’s also super easy to make a few swaps to make this to your own taste.

  1. Salted Butter:  I use this to cook the onion and garlic, but olive oil works fine too if that’s what you have on hand.  I also use salted, but unsalted works well too and then you can adjust salt to your own taste.
  2. Onion and garlic:  Any color of onion is fine!  I used red and really like that flavor. You can use yellow or white, or even the white parts of green onion if you want a very mild onion flavor.  Garlic, you can use fresh or jarred, no judgement from me.
  3. Oregano, Basil, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes:  These flavor the soup, so don’t skip them!  The soup is not spicy with the red pepper flakes at all!
  4. Tomato Paste:  Adds a nice rich tomato flavor that you don’t get using only tomato sauce.
  5. Vodka:  This is optional.  You can also use more broth in it’s place if you don’t want to use it.  Rest assured if you do use it that the alcohol cooks out!
  6. Crushed Tomatoes:  You can use these, or just sub with two cans of tomato sauce.  I’ve done both and it’s great either way.
  7. Vegetable Broth:  I use better than boullion to control the salt.  Low sodium broth is best.  You can also use chicken broth or even some bone broth for a little added protein.
  8. Pasta:  I used penne, but any short cut pasta works!  You could use macaroni, rotini, even orzo!
  9. Heavy Cream or Half and Half:  Either works fine, just depends how rich you want your soup!  You could also use milk, it just won’t be quite as thick but that’s ok.
  10. Parmesan:  I use freshly grated off the block because it melts best.  You can use bagged parmesan or shaker but they don’t melt quite as smooth.

creamy tomato soup with pasta

Recipe Notes and Tips:

  • Because this soup has pasta, it is best served right away because the pasta will start to soak up the liquid.  If you aren’t going to serve it right away, then cook the pasta separately from the soup and add it in when desired.  The soup and pasta will keep in the fridge for 2 days.
  • I really love carbs so we usually serve our pasta soup with a side of Homemade Garlic Bread!  You can also do a big green salad to get some veggies in.
  • If you want, you can add shredded cooked chicken to this for some protein.  I’d recommend 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken.  You could also cook up about 1/2 pound of Italian ground sausage to add.
  • Be sure to season to your own taste! If you know you like a spicy tomato soup, feel free to add more red pepper flakes, or even a few dashes of hot sauce.  You can also serve with fresh chopped basil.
  • As I had mentioned above, you can use half and half, cream, or milk.  If you are dairy free, you can use canned coconut milk or even an unsweetened almond milk would work.

creamy tomato pasta soup in a white bowl

Enjoy!

~Nichole

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Tomato Pasta Soup

Creamy Tomato Pasta Soup - An easy one pot creamy parmesan and tomato soup that is so comforting!  This soup features your favorite pasta and is loaded with cheesy goodness.
 
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 Red Onion Diced
  • 5 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Basil
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 Cup Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 Cup Vodka
  • 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Short Cut Pasta
  • 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half & Half
  • 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, dried basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.
  • Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook stirring constantly for two minutes then carefully pour in the vodka and stir until incorporated.
  • Pour in the tomatoes, broth and pasta. Simmer the soup for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and slowly stir in the heavy cream. Then, stir in the cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Video

Notes

NOTE:  This soup is best eaten right after it's made as the pasta will continue to soak up the soup liquid.  If you aren't serving right away, cook the pasta separately and add to the soup as needed.  The soup and pasta will last up to  2 days in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5Cups, Calories: 324kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
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Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Flavor was great and recipe was very easy to follow. My noodles did take almost double time to get soft but that is no big deal.