Y’all, it’s soup season again, and I’ve got to put you on to my new favorite. This tomato dill soup is a little bowl of joy that'll shoo away your winter blues. Thick, herby, and thoroughly delicious. Major win if you've got crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwich for dunking!
Canned San Marzano tomatoes are my go-to for tomato soups. Fresh ones are great too. If they are in season, proper red and ripe. But I can't find those in the winters here in Calgary. So, for the sake of consistency, ease, and quick-prep, canned it is!
Good thing dill can be found year-round, because I tested a version with dried dill weed and it wasn't as amazing.
My cooking method is easy and simple. Sauté aromatics, throw in the seasonings, add tomatoes and dill, and then gently simmer for a bit. No broth, no stock, just water. Let the main flavors shine.
I do add a bit of Worcestershire sauce, though, for some complexity. Makes the soup pop without being prominent on your palate.
You can serve this soup thick and filling as a main, or thin it out as a side. It's great either way.
Pre-cooking notes
- Some may find it strange that I include sugar since tomatoes tend to be naturally sweet. But the added sugar balances out their acidity. And canned tomatoes can vary a whole lot when it comes to their sweetness. So the sugar kind of covers all bases.
- You don't need any stock, broth, or bouillon in this recipe, but if you'd still prefer to use it instead of water, reduce the amount of added salt. You can always put more at the end.
- Red pepper/chili flakes give the soup some warmth. Adjust the quantity as you see fit, depending on how hot yours are and how spicy you'd like your soup to be. I wouldn't skip them completely, as spice adds more dimension and flavor. Feel free to sub with cayenne.
- Use whole, peeled, canned, San Marzano tomatoes. I prefer whole ones over crushed/diced, as the former are less processed and lend a better taste to the soup.
- I've also tested this recipe with double the dill mentioned, and I loved it (what can I say, I love dill). But Samad always seems to like it more when it's less, which I have no issues with. The soup still comes out very delish. All that to say, taste the soup just after you've pureed it. And if, like me, you want it more dill-icious, add some more and blend again.
A visual guide for making Dill TOmato soup
Here are photos of the key steps to guide you through the recipe. For a printable version with quantities and notes, see the recipe card below.
Combine all "Seasoning Mix" ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until the onion is soft.
Add the prepared seasoning mix. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add canned tomatoes with their juices, chopped dill, 3 cups water, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes. Crush the tomatoes as they soften and stir occasionally.
Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Return to medium-low heat to warm. Adjust consistency by adding water if needed and enjoy.
Top tips
- If you prefer your soups extra smooth, use a high-speed countertop blender instead of immersion. But let the soup cool completely first, as most blenders can’t handle hot liquids. I also pass the pureed soup through a fine mesh strainer. And press whatever clings to the strainer with the back of a spoon. Very little remains behind. The soup stays thick, but the texture becomes velvety.
- You can stretch the soup slightly by adding more water, along with salt and pepper. But don’t overdo it. If it turns out thinner than you’d like, thicken it with a corn starch slurry. Add the slurry in very small increments. Wait a couple of minutes after each addition before adding more. Pour in too much too quickly, and you risk ending up with a stew-like consistency.
Serving ideas
I love my tomato soup with crusty bread or a toasted cheese sandwich for dunking. You can top it off with some freshly grated Parmesan and croutons. Serve it warm. This isn’t a soup meant to be enjoyed cold.
And that's a wrap!
If you've extra fresh dill on hand, also try my lemon dill chicken.
Let me know how you liked this soup. I'll be waiting for the comments and ratings!
Dill Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Seasoning Mix
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - adjust to your heat preference
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt - (Note A)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 teaspoons sugar - to balance the acidity
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral oil
- 1 medium (150 g) onion - sliced
- 5 cloves garlic - chopped (not minced)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes - I only use San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill - plus a little extra for garnishing
- 1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients listed under "Seasoning Mix" and set aside.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes softened and translucent.
- Add the prepared seasoning mix. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the whole peeled canned tomatoes with all their juices into the pot. Also add chopped fresh dill, 3 cups of water, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat just enough to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your spoon (or a potato masher) as they soften more. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the soup from the burner and discard the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or cool it down and use a high-speed countertop blender for a smooth texture (blend in small batches). For an extra smooth mouthfeel, I pass and press the blended soup through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Return the soup to the burner over medium-low heat to warm it up. If it's thicker than you'd like, add some water. And if you'd prefer it thicker, simmer some more to reduce. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust if needed.
- Ladle into bowls, top with some chopped dill, croutons, or grated parmesan. And serve with grilled cheese sandwich and/or crusty bread. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
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