Chipotle Tomato Soup is a rich, smoky take on a classic. Made with buttery sautéed garlic, onions, and carrots, smoky chipotles in adobo, and rich tomatoes, it's the perfect balance of heat and flavor. Packed with nourishing ingredients, it's smooth, velvety, and easy to make. Top it with crispy homemade croutons for extra texture.
This recipe is a little bit of nostalgia, a touch of inspiration, and my love for tomato soup all in one. This Chipotle Tomato Soup is a bold, smoky take on the classic, inspired by my mom's Sopa de Tortilla Azteca.
It combines the deep flavors of ripe tomatoes and smoky chipotles in a smooth, velvety broth, bringing together the richness of a traditional tomato soup with the warmth of Mexican ingredients.
If you love soups with tomato-based broths like Sopa de Fideo or Caldo de Verduras, you will love this easy to make spicy tomato soup.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and minimal effort, this soup comes together quickly.
- Nourishing and Full of Vegetables: This soup is packed with not only tomatoes, but onions, garlic, and carrots, making it both flavorful and nutrient-rich.
- Smooth and Velvety: This soup has a rich, creamy texture without needing any dairy.
- Smoky and Slightly Spicy: Chipotles in adobo add depth and just the right amount of heat.
- Naturally Vegetarian (and Easily Vegan) - Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a completely plant-based option.
- Customizable Toppings - Enjoy it as is, or add homemade croutons for a bit of crunch and texture.
For more velvety smooth soup recipes, check out Poblano Cream Soup or Asparagus Soup.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Soup
- Tomatoes: Use either ripe Roma tomatoes for a fresh flavor, or substitute with canned whole peeled tomatoes for convenience and a deeper, slightly sweeter taste.
- Tomato Paste: Enhances the richness and depth of the soup.
- Butter: Butter is used to sauté the carrots and aromatics, adding creaminess and richness. For a dairy-free option, substitute with olive oil or a plant-based butter.
- Onion and Garlic: Sautéed in butter, they are essential for building a flavorful base. I recommend using either white or yellow onion.
- Carrots: Add natural sweetness and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, and their flavor blends in perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Bring a smoky, slightly spicy kick. Adjust the amount based on your heat preference.
- Broth: Use chicken broth or chicken bone broth for a richer depth of flavor or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance the flavors in the soup. Adjust to taste.
Croutons (Optional): I love adding homemade croutons to this soup for a bit of crunch and texture. They are easy to make and all you need is the following:
- Dinner Rolls or Baguette: Use any bread you have on hand, including gluten-free bread if needed.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps the croutons crisp up while adding a rich, slightly fruity flavor.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper are used to enhance the overall taste.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add a subtle kick that pairs well with the chipotle, but feel free to adjust or omit based on your spice preference.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Spicy Tomato Soup
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots and cook until the garlic and onion are soft and translucent.
- Add Other Ingredients: Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle peppers, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Blend: Puree the soup in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend in the same pot.
- Heat and Adjust Seasoning: Add soup back to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Make Croutons: Preheat oven to 375°F, then cut bread into 1-inch pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden, then serve warm soup topped with the croutons.
Recommended for This Recipe
Immersion Blender
You can transfer the ingredients to a blender, but sometimes I like the convenience of using an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot.
How to Serve
Serve for lunch, a light dinner, or even as a starter for a larger meal. Top the soup with a few croutons on top for added crunch. You can also drizzle it with Mexican crema for a touch of creaminess or olive oil to enhance the richness.
Storing and Freezing
Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat, warm the soup in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If it has thickened, add a splash of broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
Croutons are best stored separately in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to keep them crispy.
Tips and Variations
- For Mild Spice: Start with half a chipotle pepper and add more as needed or only add in a spoonful of the adobo sauce.
- For Extra Heat: Add an extra chipotle pepper.
- Make it Creamier - Mix in a splash of heavy cream or canned coconut milk for a richer texture.
FAQ
Yes, the flavors deepen over time. Store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze for longer.
Any sturdy bread works, such as baguettes, French bread or sourdough. Slightly stale bread works great for croutons too as it's a bit drier and will crisp up nicely.
I hope you enjoy! If you try this recipe, please leave me a comment with a star rating below. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to stay in touch, and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter.
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Recipe
Chipotle Tomato Soup
Equipment
- Blender or immersion blender
- Large pot
Ingredients
Soup
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter can use oil or plant-based butter
- ½ white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 28 oz whole peeled canned tomatoes or 2 pounds of fresh Roma tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Croutons
- 3 whole dinner rolls (sub gluten-free if desired) or half a baguette
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Soup
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots and cook until the garlic and onion are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle peppers, broth, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Carefully puree the soup in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend in the same pot.
- Add soup back to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Croutons
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Cut the rolls into 1" pieces.
- Add bread pieces to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Drizzle olive oil over the bread pieces and sprinkle with salt, pepper and black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, shake the baking sheet and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Serve soup warm with a few croutons on top.
Notes
- For Mild Spice: Start with half a chipotle pepper and add more as needed or only add in a spoonful of the adobo sauce.
- For Extra Heat: Add an extra chipotle pepper.
Carol
I love tomato soup and never thought about adding chipotle, but it is a match made in heaven! Yum!!!!
Gemma
I am so glad you liked it. Thank you!