Tomato Soup Recipe vs. French Onion Soup Recipe – Which is Better?

This post about our Tomato Soup recipe and French Onion Soup recipe was sponsored by Better Than Bouillon as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Our family has a couple of favorite soups that we seem to go back to again and again. A good Tomato Soup Recipe has been a popular choice since our kids were very little. For some reason, we are particularly stuck on serving it with a side of grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. And the French Onion Soup recipe is a new favorite, again because of the melted cheese on top I think. Whatever the reason they are popular, I made both soups recently using Better Than Bouillon to make the broth for each, and we enjoyed a sampling of each for dinner!

Better Than Bouillon is a Tasty Kitchen Staple

My mom always used Better Than Bouillon products in her kitchen, which is where I learned about the brand. It’s a wonderfully delicious kitchen hack that makes creating broth so fast and easy. The products come in jars of concentrated broth, which you measure out and mix with warm water to create the amount of broth you need. Perfect for holiday cooking when you need a short cut without compromising rich flavor that tastes like homemade.

I always have several jars of Better Than Bouillon on hand for my recipes. My recent cookbook, our Dinner’s Gonna Be A Little Late Tonight cooking show, and our regular family dinners regularly use broths made from Better Than Bouillon products.

There is a variety of Better Than Bouillon flavors, including organic and low-sodium options. You can find all the flavors and options here.

Tomato Soup Recipe vs. French Onion Soup Recipe

Which was the ultimate favorite between the two? Depends on who you ask. Sophia and Ava liked the Tomato Soup recipe better, I think. It has a chicken stock base that kids seem to enjoy. Triton and I liked the French Onion Soup recipe, which starts with a base of beef broth.

Ultimately, each of the soups were finished off completely so I think they were equally enjoyed. I’ve included the recipe for each soup here. Try making them both, and you be the judge!

Tomato Soup Recipe

A Saturday morning trip to the local Farmer’s Market for fresh produce sent me home with a bag of overripe tomatoes. These were the perfect starting point for our soup-a-thon. There is nothing more delicious than cooking with fresh tomatoes.

The best thing is that this tomato soup recipe is surprisingly easy. I mean, as in anyone-can-make-this-dish easy.

4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 large fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth made from Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
• 1 cup broth made from Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Croutons, shaved parmesan and chopped fresh basil leaves for topping

Instructions for Tomato Soup Recipe

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Mix in the onions and carrots, cooking for 8-10 minutes until tender.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken and garlic broths, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
4. Lower heat to simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are breaking apart.
5. Remove from heat and add the cream, stirring into the mixture until fully combined.
6. Blend the soup ingredients using a handheld blender or food processor.
7. Serve in deep bowls, topped with croutons, shaved parmesan and chopped basil.

Print Recipe

French Onion Soup Recipe

Fall and Winter seem to lend themselves to this earthy French Onion Soup recipe. Topped with a slice of crusty sourdough bread and melted gruyere cheese, it’s a winner in our family. The secret to my version is fresh thyme, which gives the soup an aromatic bite. It’s a nice combination with the Tomato Soup Recipe listed above.

4-6 servings

Ingredients for French Onion Soup Recipe

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5-6 Vidalia sweet onions, sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sweet vermouth
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup onion stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Sourdough baguette slices, 1-inch thick toasted
• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese, or 8 thin slices
• Thyme sprigs for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown and caramelized, stirring regularly for about 30 minutes.
2. Mix in garlic and stir in vermouth.
3. Add beef broth, onion broth and thyme leaves, bringing to boil over high heat. Return to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

1. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Pre-heat oven to broil.
3. Ladle soup servings into deep mugs or soup bowls. Place slices of baguette on top and then cheese.
4. Place soup servings on baking pan in broiler for 2-3 minutes – just enough time to melt the cheese.
5. Serve topped with sprigs of fresh thyme.

Print Recipe

Want More Soup Recipes?

If you like our Tomato Soup recipe and French Onion Soup recipe, hit up the the Better Than Bouillon Holiday Recipes website for more. You’ll find a large collection of delicious recipes using their products – soups along with many other dishes. There are a bunch of great ideas there I cannot wait to try!

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