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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Rao's Tomato Soup

    Published: Nov 9, 2024 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.
    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.
    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.
    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.

    Rao's Tomato Soup is a rich, creamy tomato soup with the savory flavor of Rao's marinara sauce. Made with chicken broth, tomatoes, aromatic herbs, spices, and Parmesan cheese, it’s a quick and easy recipe with simple ingredients—perfect for a cozy winter day.

    For more cozy tomato soups, be sure to try Red Pepper Gouda Soup and Tomato Pastina next! 

    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.

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    Jump to:
    • 🍅Ingredients
    • 🥣How to Make Rao's Tomato Soup
    • ✅Top Tips
    • 🎁Storage
    • 😋More Easy Dinner Recipes
    • 💌Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    Let’s be honest—when it comes to jarred marinara, Rao’s is the go-to. With a simple ingredient list like olive oil, onions, basil, oregano, and Italian tomatoes, it somehow surpasses every other sauce on the shelf. It’s even the only store-bought marinara Ina Garten swears by. While it can be a bit of a splurge, I always grab it when Costco stocks up.

    Turns out, this marinara sauce isn’t just for pasta. Did you know you can make tomato soup with marinara sauce?

    🍅Ingredients

    See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.

    Rao's tomato soup recipe ingredients.
    • Onions and garlic. Even though they're already in the sauce, sauteeing fresh onions and garlic helps give the jarred sauce and tomatoes more homemade flavor. 
    • Seasonings. Paprika is a bit of a secret ingredient that brightens up any tomato soup recipe. I also added thyme, an herb that isn't always in tomato soup but should be because it's herby and bright and lemony. 
    • Broth. You can use chicken or vegetable broth. If you use stock instead of broth, know that it has less sodium and may be unseasoned, so you may need to adjust your seasonings. 
    • Brown sugar. Another secret ingredient! A little bit of sugar helps smooth out the acidic flavors, and the extra boost of molasses just adds even more rich flavor.
    • Rao's marinara sauce. Rao's sauce serves double duty in this recipe. One cup of it gets reduced down to deepen the tomato flavor and thicken the soup, like tomato paste, and the rest goes into the tomato broth. Of course, you could technically use any kind of marinara, but ... 

    🥣How to Make Rao's Tomato Soup

    reduced marinara sauce in a Dutch oven.

    Step 1: Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add 1 cup marinara and the seasonings and simmer over medium heat until thickened. 

    Rao's tomato soup in a Dutch oven before being blended.

    Step 2: Pour in the rest of the marinara, broth, and tomatoes, and add the brown sugar and a little black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.

    Rao's tomato soup in a Dutch oven.

    Step 3: Remove the soup from the heat. For smooth soup, blend with an immersion blender or blend it in batches in a regular blender to your desired consistency. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.

    Step 4: Top with more Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, or a swirl of pesto, and serve with crusty bread or a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. 

    ✅Top Tips

    • Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly. This tomato soup has tons of flavor, but if it seems a little flat, sometimes all it needs is salt. Or maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. 
    • I use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot, but a high-speed blender works too. Just be cautious with hot liquids in a blender—steam can build up and push the lid off. Check out this guide for safe blending tips!

    🎁Storage

    • Store leftover tomato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
    • Freeze cooled soup in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. 
    • Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring until warmed through. 
    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.

    😋More Easy Dinner Recipes

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      Red Pepper and Gouda Soup
    • tomato pastina in a white bowl topped with pesto and Parmesan cheese.
      Tomato Pastina
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      Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
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    💌Let's Stay in Touch

    Follow Midwestern HomeLife on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    bowl of Rao's tomato soup on a cutting board with a grilled cheese sandwich.

    Rao's Tomato Soup Recipe

    Cara Lanz
    Rao’s Tomato Soup is a creamy, velvety tomato soup that blends the rich flavors of Rao’s marinara sauce, tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs, spices, cream, and Parmesan cheese. This easy recipe is the perfect way to enjoy homemade tomato soup with minimal effort. 
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    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 172 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 24 oz. Rao's marinara sauce or any kind of marinara
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
    • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • black pepper
    • ½ cup cream
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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    Instructions
     

    • Melt butter in Dutch oven or large pot over medium to medium-high heat. Saute onions in butter until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add one cup marinara sauce, paprika, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, 5 minutes.
    • Add the rest of the marinara, can of tomatoes, broth, and brown sugar, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Remove from heat. For a velvety smooth soup, blend with immersion blender or in batches in a blender to your desired consistency. Stir in the cream and Parmesan.

    Notes

    • Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly. This tomato soup has tons of flavor, but if it seems a little flat, sometimes all it needs is salt. Or maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. 
    • For rustic texture, skip the step of blending the soup.
    • I use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot, but a high-speed blender works too. Just be cautious with hot liquids in a blender—steam can build up and push the lid off. Check out this guide for safe blending tips!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 999mgPotassium: 614mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 988IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 2mg
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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

    Whether you're looking for a fast and easy dinner recipe, something yummy for a potluck or holiday gathering, or just a little inspiration, I hope you'll find something you love here.

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