Skip the store-bought soup from a tin and make this flavorful Homemade Canned Tomato Soup with a few simple ingredients from the garden.
When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, one of the things that surprised me the most was that the store-bought cans of “cream of” soup all contained wheat. Thankfully, at that point, I was already making my own homemade canned tomato soup, so I didn’t feel too deprived.
Although I used to make this tomato soup just to be able to enjoy it, now that I need to eat gluten free, I make sure that I have enough tomatoes planted every year so that I can make enough soup to last us a year. It is a necessity now.
This recipe comes from my Mother-in-law, who has been making this recipe for as long as I’ve known her. Originally, I found the soup to be too spicy though. Like, beads of sweat on your forehead spicy.
But, that must have been a year for strong onions, strong peppers, and a few more dashes of cayenne, because I don’t find it to be too warm anymore. If you don’t want your soup to have any spice, feel free to omit the cayenne pepper.
How to prepare Homemade Canned Tomato Soup:
To prepare the soup after it has been canned, simply add your favorite milk, gluten free broth, or water. I do 1 jar of milk to 1 jar of canned soup, but you can do as little as half a jar for a stronger flavour.
Can I make this without canning it?
If the process of canning the finished soup scares you, you are not alone. You most certainly can still make this tomato soup, just freeze in freezer safe containers, defrost before using, and prepare the same way you would if it were canned.
Some tips for making Canned Tomato Soup:
- Cut up all your vegetables in larger chunks. Since you will be pureeing the soup after the vegetables have cooked, they don’t need to be finely chopped. This will safe you a lot of time.
- You can cut up your tomatoes the day before, cover and refrigerate. This also allows some of the extra liquid in the tomatoes to separate, and you can just pour it off before beginning the cooking process. HOWEVER, I would not cut up the onions or peppers the day before, because that will leave a strong smell in your fridge by the next morning.
- Roma, or other sauce tomatoes, work great for making soup because of the lower level of liquid in them. However, you can use any kind of tomato that you’ve grown.
- Store bought tomatoes, may work to make canned tomato soup, but I would stick with locally grown tomatoes purchased in season, not tomatoes purchased in the middle of winter. The flavour and texture of tomatoes grown in season is so much nicer.
- When you bring the vegetables up to a boil, be sure to start over a medium heat, and stir regularly. This will allow the vegetables to release their juices, and keep the vegetables from burning on the bottom of the pot. I also cover the pot with the lid. This helps keep the heat in the pot, and speeds up the process a little bit.
- Using a stick blender, or immersion blender, will safe you a lot of time when it comes to blending the cooked vegetables. You won’t have to wait for the soup to cool, and you won’t have to transfer small batches to a blender.
What is Therm-Flo?
Thermflo is a modified cornstarch made from waxy maize. Ingredion Incorporated, the manufacturer’s of Thermflo, have released a statement saying that Thermflo is indeed gluten free.
When used in canning, Thermflo is more stable than cornstarch, which can become too thick to process safely, and then break down after canning.
Thermflo can be reheated more than once without breaking down, and it can also be used as a thickener in foods you freeze. It is great for canning and pie fillings, as it doesn’t separate over time like cornstarch does. It also stays clear when it cools.
You can buy Thermflo at some stores that specialize in canning and home-baking, I buy mine at Stonybrook Pantry in Steinbach, Manitoba. I’ve read that people are able to find it at Amish and Mennonite stores as well. If you can’t locate it locally, you can order it online through Amazon as well.
Still have leftover tomatoes? Here are more recipes that you can make using your bounty:
- Homemade Canned Salsa
- Canning Whole Tomatoes (How to)
- How to Make Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes
- Homemade Fresh Tomato Sauce
Homemade Canned Tomato Soup Recipe:
Canned Tomato Soup
Skip the store-bought soup from a tin and make this flavorful Homemade Canned Tomato Soup with a few simple ingredients from the garden.
Ingredients
- 24 cups (about 1 1/2 ice cream pails) tomatoes, cut into chunks (I prefer to use Roma tomatoes because they are less juicy than other tomatoes)
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 4 cups onions, roughly chopped
- 2 large green peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped (about 3/4 - 1 cup chopped)
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup Thermflo (or cooked Clearjel, not instant)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Put chopped tomato into a large stock pot. Mash them with a potato masher to extract some of the juice. Begin to heat the tomatoes on a low-medium temperature while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the tomatoes, and bring the mixture up to a boil over medium - medium/high heat, stirring often, being careful not to burn.
- Once ingredients have come to a boil, reduce heat and allow the vegetables to slowly boil for another 2 hours, or until the vegetables are all very soft.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Note: If you do not have an immersion blender, you will have to wait for your soup to cool before using your regular blender. Hot liquids in a blender can be very dangerous.
- Carefully scoop some of the soup mixture into a Chinois or rotary food press fitted over a large bowl. Press the juice through the press, and discard the peel and seeds. Repeat until you have pressed/strained all the soup. Reserve 2 cups of the soup mixture. Return the rest of the soup to the stock pot
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the reserved soup, granulated sugar, salt, Thermflo, and cayenne pepper
- Slowly bring the strained soup back up to a gentle boil. Whisk in the thickening mixture, and continue to boil until the soup has thickened.
- Be sure to wash your jars before using them. While the soup mixture is reheating, place your lids in a pan of simmering water, and simmer for 10 minutes. This ensures that the lids are sterilized before using them.
- Fill each jar with tomato soup, to within 1 cm of the rim. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel dipped in boiling water, and place the lids and rings on top of the jar.
To Freeze:
Divide soup between freezer safe containers, leaving at least 1 cm (1/2-inch) room at the top to allow for the soup to expand.
To process in the pressure canner (directions come directly from Bernardin's website (http://www.bernardin.ca):
- When pressure canner is full, adjust water to level as directed by canner manufacturer. Lock canner lid in place and follow manufacturer’s heating instructions. Vent canner–allow steam to escape steadily–for 10 minutes; close vent.
- When canner reaches the pressure appropriate for your altitude* and type of pressure canner, begin counting processing time. Process – heat filled jars – in pressure canner – 500 ml jars – 20 minutes at 10 lb (69 kPa). NOTE: processing times indicated are for a weighted gauge pressure canner used at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m). When using a dial gauge pressure canner or canning at higher elevations, adjust pressure according to chart.
- When processing time is complete turn off heat. Allow canner to stand undisturbed until pressure drops to zero. Wait 2 minutes, and then remove cover, tilting it away from your face. Remove jars without tilting. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands. After cooling check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store in a cool, dark place. It is best to used home canned goods within 12 months.
To serve the soup: Empty the contents of the jar plus an equal amount of milk, gluten free broth, or water into to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soup is hot & steaming. We like to serve ours with tortilla chips, shredded cheese & sour cream for a quick, simple tortilla soup.
Notes
Do not can in jars larger than 500 ml (1 pint), or the soup may not heat through enough to be considered safe during the canning process.
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Originally posted September 2011. Recipe and images updated August, 2019.
Sandy F. says
Could I freeze this soup instead of preserving it?
Jeanine says
I don’t know, I’ve never tried it. I don’t see why not. I’ve frozen spaghetti sauce in the past without a problem.
Judy says
We froze this last year and it turned out great. Made 3 more batches this year and froze it.
Jeanine says
Freezing it – great idea, Judy! Thanks for sharing!
sarah says
I have never heard of using the microwave to seal the cans. What a neat idea. It seems like it would be so much easier and less messy than the big old pot of water.
I’m just getting my tomatoes in (it’s so hot here we’re in reverse of everyone else’s summer). I’m gong to to keep this and I KNOW I will have beautiful tomatoes to make this soup. Every year my tomato crop is just enough for a few salads. I’m hoping this will have some mojo on it to bring me lots o’ tomatoes!
Karin Goodman says
I have canned pickles and jams, and have never heard of using the microwave. You’re not suppose to put metal in the microwave, but the lids are ok??
balvinder says
I never canned any soup but I guess now I should.
Tiffany Maholm says
Can you add an equal amount of water instead of milk–as we are allergic to dairy here at our house as well as gluten?
Thanks!
Jeanine says
I’ve never tried it with water, but I guess water, or a non dairy milk would work as well. Just like the store-bought soup, where you can add water or milk, it may be a a personal preference (I never could eat tomato soup made with water though, not creamy enough, but that’s personal taste).
Kimberly says
I made this last night after finding it on Pinterest and it is the BEST recipe for tomato soup I have ever tried. I’ve been looking for one for YEARS. Thank you so much!!!!
Jeanine says
Wonderful! We love this soup too, it’s a staple in our pantry. Glad that you loved it too! 🙂
Ann Swartz-Beckius says
Just made this soup, AMAZING! However, I found it after my tomatoes have all been frozen for the year. Thoughts on making it with frozen tomatoes?
Jeanine says
Hmm…not sure about the frozen tomatoes, sorry!
Ann Swartz-Beckius says
It works FABULOUS with frozen tomatoes!
Connie says
I just made it with frozen tomatoes and (not frozen) used both, it is amazing! I will be using this EVERY year..Thank you!
Jeanine Friesen says
Wonderful, Connie! I’ve never tried it with frozen tomatoes, but have heard of a lot of people that freeze their tomatoes in summer and make sauces, etc with them in winter. I guess it works for soup too!
Beth says
Jeanine –
Have you ever heard of making this soup by pureeing the tomatoes first with a nice blender and then cooking it down? I have a Vitamix that turns seeds and peels to smooth delish-ish-nis – I wonder if this would work? Thoughts?
Jeanine Friesen says
That might work, Beth! I’ve never tried it, or thought of blending before cooking, but with a vitamix, that might work quite well (and cut down on cooking time, maybe?).
Gail says
Looks like a great recipe … when you call for 1/4 cup salt … do you mean regular or pickling salt? Thanks
Jeanine Friesen says
It is a great soup – still waiting for enough tomatoes to be able to make some. 🙂 I use regular salt in this recipe.
Nettie says
Delicious! Making a second double batch to be sure we have plenty for winter! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Jeanine Friesen says
Thanks, Nettie! I stock up to have enough for 1 1/2 years or so, just in case next year’s tomatoes are a bust. 🙂
Betsy M says
Hi Jeanine, I have been searching online for my Mom’s (Grandma’s old) tomato soup recipe. I “could” call and ask her for it but considering that I have asked her every year for the same recipe I figured that she would scold me. lol. Well, here I find the recipe, right down to the measurement of 1 1/2 ice cream buckets of tomatoes. (LOVE that measurement. 🙂 ) Thanks for the recipe!
Alice Theofan says
Hi Jeanine Since I have never heard or even seen ThermFlo, would Cornstarch work the same? Would LOVE to try this recipe.
Jeanine says
Hi Alice, If you are freezing it, cornstarch should work fine, but it is not recommended for canning. Some say that no thickener can be used when canning, and suggest thickening it when you heat it up to serve instead.
Elaine says
You need to get the jar size corrected. It says 8 to 10 pints I believe and then the note at the bottom says not to use larger than 8 oz jars. The pressure canner time should be different for pints and 8 oz jars I would think. It sounds yummy. Will be trying this week.
Jeanine says
Thanks for pointing that our, Elaine. That was my error, the recipe is for pint sized jars. I hope you enjoy it!
GwenH says
Your tomato soup looks delicious Jeanine, I’ll have to try making it this year. I might just make a small batch as we don’t eat much soup, but definitely will try this recipe.
Ashley Rae says
Thanks for the recipe! I will be making it this year, likely in a couple days once my tomatoes are a bit riper. Do you blanch and peel the tomatoes first? Also for the cooked clearjel, not instant, do you have to cook it before adding it to the recipe? Or do you just add the powder?
Thanks in advance for your reply
Jeanine says
Hi Ashley! You’re welcome. 🙂 We actually had a threat of frost last night in southeast Manitoba, so people are picking their tomatoes green to ripen inside. Crazy early this year! To answer your question, there is no need to peel your tomatoes ahead of time, since you will be straining it all after cooking and blending. The clearjel powder will get added to some of the reserved strained soup, and added in to the strained soup once it comes up to a boil again, so no need to cook it ahead of time. Hope you enjoy it!
Gaylene says
How much cornstarch would I use in place of the clearjel
LISA says
i really want to try this recipe, i have canned tomato juice from last year. how much juice would i use for this recipe?
Jeanine Friesen says
This tomato soup is made from fresh tomatoes, not tomato juice. Sorry, unsure how to turn tomato juice into soup.