Baked Tomato Bisque

A blanket of melted, crusty cheese covers a creamy, velvety smooth tomato bisque worthy of entertaining. Easy enough to make in just under 30 minutes, this Cheesy Baked Tomato Bisque recipe could also be added to the list of family favorites for weeknight dinners.

Baked Tomato Bisque

Creamy soups are my absolute favorite thing on the planet. I know for a fact that they’re not, in any way, healthy when you order them in a restaurant. And sometimes they’re not so healthy when you order them at my house. 🙂  

But sometimes it’s very evident, like when I cover the creamy bisque with a blanket of cheese. A blend of provolone and mozzarella cheese. And broil it until it’s bubbly and golden. Then…do you really care about the calories? You only live once and I, for one, live to eat.

My family loves tomato soup….from a can. You know the classic Campbell’s tomato soup and they really don’t like it when I follow the instructions for adding milk instead of water. I wasn’t sure they would like this Tomato Bisque. So, I covered it with cheese so they wouldn’t see anything. It was a tactical move. They didn’t even know what hit them until they broke through the cheesy crust and then it was too late.

What Is Tomato Bisque

Tomato Bisque is actually tomato soup that has a bit of cream added to it to make it creamy. So, basically, it’s a Creamy Tomato Soup….in a nutshell. You can use this Tomato Basil Bisque recipe as a meal all on it’s own or you can use it as a base for sooooo many different recipes like a Tortellini Tomato Soup.

Ingredients You Will Need

This creamy tomato bisque is made with simple ingredients but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in flavor. 

• Bacon – We’re just using the bacon fat here so if you store your bacon fat in the fridge like I do after making a batch of bacon then you can just use a tablespoon of that. If you don’t want to use bacon you can totally substitute the bacon fat with olive oil. Bacon does add a ton of flavor though so I encourage you to give it a try.
• Onion – Try to find a vidalia or other sweet onion for the best flavor.
• Garlic – Fresh is best here. If you want to amp up the flavor a little more you can use Roasted Garlic. It’s insanely amazing!
• Chicken Stock – I like to use this homemade chicken stock but store bought stock is not frowned upon. I get it….and I use it, too. Try not to use broth because the flavor isn’t as pronounced. If you’re vegetarian…simply substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
• Tomatoes – You can make Tomato Bisque from fresh tomatoes that are roasted with excellent results. If not, try to find canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes….I like them crushed because it cuts down on blending time.
• Fresh Parsley – Again, fresh is best but if you can’t get your hands on it, use half the amount of dried parsley called for in the recipe.
• Fresh Basil – Same as the parsley, you can use dried but be mindful of the amount because the dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor.
• Cream – You can use heavy cream but I found that Half and Half works just as well and has so much less calories. We didn’t even miss the cream the many times I used it.
• Salt and Pepper – No need to explain here. 
• CHEESE – I like to use Provolone and Shredded Mozzarella but Gruyere would work so well here, too. 

How To Make Tomato Bisque

You’re going to want to use a fairly large dutch oven or heavy bottomed stock pot since things can bubble up….and out. Think like a salad…..you always need a bigger bowl than you anticipate. I always have to switch pots midway through the recipe because I underestimate how much tomato soup this actually makes.

1.  In a large dutch oven, make the tomato bisque.
2. Divide the soup evenly among 4 oven safe crocks.
3. Arrange the crocks on a baking sheet and top with a crostini.
4. Top the crostini with the cheese and bake until bubbling and golden.
5. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

What I love most about this bisque is it’s perfect on it’s own like I did with this Tomato Basil Bisque recipe. Without the cheese. (I can’t believe I’m saying “without the cheese.”)  And you can make it in advance for quick dinners during the week…with or without cheese.

Or with a grilled cheese sandwich….or a light salad….or some of those grilled cheese croutons that were big on Pinterest a few years ago. Any way you serve it it’s going to be spectacular and satisfying and perfect for the chilly months we have of fall and winter.

More Easy Soup Recipes

If you want even more deliciously easy soup recipes we are totally digging this easy Baked French Onion Soup….it’s also super cheese and amazing. This Lobster Bisque recipe is super simple and perfect for special occasions. Or you can try this insanely simple Cream of Mushroom Soup. 

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