Ina Garten Calls This Easy Soup the "Ultimate Comfort Food"

It's worth making homemade!

By Ina GartenPublished: Oct 21, 2025

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Quentin Bacon

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Yields:

Total Time:

1 hr

From Ina Garten's twelfth cookbook, Modern Comfort Food, this rich and creamy soup simmers for a little while on the stove-top but takes very little hands-on time. Serve it with Ina's Cheddar & Chutney Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for the ultimate comfort food dinner.

Ina wrote in the book, "Isn’t a steaming bowl of tomato soup the ultimate comfort food? While heating up a can of tomato soup may do in a pinch, the real thing is so much better—with slowly sautéed onions and leeks plus good Italian tomatoes and a hint of saffron. You’ll never go back to that can again!"

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Ingredients

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
3/4 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 cup sliced leek, white and light green parts only (from 2 large)
3 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan and chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Step 1Heat butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion, shallots, and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, milk, cream, saffron, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended and soup is slightly thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

Make ahead: Prepare the soup completely and refrigerate up to three days. Reheat over medium- low heat, adding milk or water as needed for desired consistency.

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