Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings4 Servings
Smoky, creamy, and made almost entirely from pantry staples, this chipotle tomato soup takes classic tomato soup and gives it a bold, grown-up upgrade. Canned tomatoes, a single chipotle chile in adobo, and a handful of navy beans blend into a silky bowl with real depth, then a little cream cheese and half and half smooth everything out. It comes together in about 35 minutes, which makes it an easy and doable weeknight dinner even on the busiest nights.
If you love a warm bowl of soup when the weather turns a bit chilly, you’re in good company. Add this to your recipe rotation with other cool-weather favorites like my weeknight Minestrone Soup, this savory and homey French Onion Soup, or my bright and creamy Curried Carrot Soup. Once you see how easy this smoky version is, it may become the one you reach for first.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love this Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup
This is comfort food with a smoky, spicy edge and almost no effort. The chipotle brings warmth and a subtle smokiness, the navy beans blend right in for a creamy, protein-rich body, and the cream cheese and half and half give it that restaurant-style finish. It’s budget-friendly, naturally gluten-free, freezer-friendly, and ready in about 35 minutes, so it easily fits weeknight dinners and make-ahead meal prep.
Heather’s Recipe Notes
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Start with one chipotle pepper. These chiles in adobo pack real heat. Blend in a single pepper plus a little adobo sauce first, taste, and add more only if you want it hotter.
- Let the beans do the work. Navy beans blend down into the soup and create a naturally creamy, thicker body without heavy cream, while quietly boosting protein and fiber.
- Cool before blending in a countertop blender. Hot soup expands and can force the lid off. Let it cool slightly, work in batches, and vent the lid. An immersion blender skips this step entirely.
- Add the dairy off the boil. Stir in the cream cheese and half and half over gentle heat, not a rolling simmer, so the dairy melts in smoothly instead of separating.
- Season at the end. Canned tomatoes and adobo vary in salt, so I wait until after blending to add kosher salt. As a co-founder of Spiceology, I’ve learned that the final pinch of salt is what makes all the smoky, tangy flavors pop.
Equipment Needed
A few basics are all you need for this one.
- Large saucepan or Dutch oven for sautéing and simmering
- Immersion blender for the easiest, no-transfer method
- Countertop blender if you prefer an ultra-smooth texture
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Ladle for serving
Ingredients in Chipotle Tomato Soup
To make this rich and smoky Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup, you’ll need:
- Olive oil – Adds depth and a silky base for sautéing the onions.
- Diced onion – Yellow or white onion works best for sweetness.
- Canned diced tomatoes – The heart of the soup; choose fire-roasted for extra flavor.
- Canned navy beans – Blends in for creaminess and protein without overpowering flavor.
- Chipotle chili in adobo sauce – Provides smoky heat; start with one pepper and adjust spice to taste.
- Cream cheese – Creates a rich, tangy body and balances the tomatoes’ acidity.
- Kosher salt – Enhances all the flavors in the soup.
- Half & half – Adds creaminess without being too heavy.
- Sour cream – A final swirl for tang and silkiness.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Swap the beans: Cannellini or great northern beans work just as well as navy beans if that’s what you have on hand.
- Make it dairy-free: Use dairy-free cream cheese and unsweetened coconut milk in place of the cream cheese and half and half, and top with a plant-based sour cream.
- Dial down the heat: Use half a chipotle pepper, or skip the pepper and stir in smoked paprika for smokiness without the spice.
- Sneak in veggies: Blend in roasted red peppers or a handful of carrots for extra sweetness and nutrients.
- Bulk it up: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end for a heartier, more filling meal.
What to Serve with Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup
This smoky bowl of soup loves something to dip and a little something on the side. A few favorites from the blog:
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread for a warm, cheesy dipper
- The Ultimate Guide to Homemade Bread if you want crusty bread for dunking
- Grilled Chili Lime Chicken to turn the soup into a full dinner
- Homemade Restaurant-Style Salsa with chips for an easy starter
- Cheesy Skillet Chicken Chilaquiles for a bigger Tex-Mex spread
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Refrigerate: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Single-serve portions make grab-and-go lunches easy.
- Thaw: Move frozen soup to the fridge overnight before reheating for the smoothest texture.
- Reheat gently: Warm over low heat, stirring often, to keep the dairy from separating.
- Revive the cream: Stir in a splash of half and half as it reheats to bring back that silky consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
With one chipotle pepper and a little adobo sauce, it lands at a mild-to-medium heat with more smoke than fire. For a milder bowl, use half a pepper or just a spoonful of the adobo sauce. For more kick, add a second pepper.
Yes. Swap the cream cheese and half and half for plant-based alternatives and finish with a vegan sour cream. The navy beans still give you a creamy, satisfying texture.
Stir in a splash of half and half, water, or a little broth until it reaches the consistency you like. A homemade chicken stock adds extra flavor if you’re loosening it up.
An immersion blender is the easiest option since you can puree right in the pot. A countertop blender also works well, just cool the soup slightly first and blend in batches, venting the lid.
You can. Cook and drain them (according to package instructions) first so you have about the same amount as a small can, then add them with the tomatoes. Canned beans keep this a fast weeknight recipe.
Yes, as written it’s naturally gluten-free. If you’re serving it to someone with celiac disease, double-check that your canned tomatoes, beans, and adobo are certified gluten-free.
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Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ cups diced onion
- 29 oz diced tomatoes, canned or home canned
- 7 oz navy beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium chipotle chile pepper, from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tsp adobo sauce, from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 oz cream cheese, optional
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ cup sour cream
- fresh basil, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large saucepan. Add diced onion and saute until beginning to lightly brown, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, navy beans, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until onions are very tender; remove from heat.
If Using A Blender
- Allow the soup to cool before using a blender! Working in batches, puree the tomato mixture in a blender. Open the lid carefully. Return to saucepan. Whisk in the half-and-half and cream cheese. Place over medium heat and cook until heated through and cheese has melted. Remove from heat, stir in the salt and remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Serve topped with sour cream and fresh basil, if desired.
If Using an Immersion Blender
- Puree the tomato mixture in the saucepan. Whisk in the half-and-half and cream cheese. Place over medium heat and cook until heated through and cheese has melted. Remove from heat, stir in the salt and remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Serve topped with sour cream and fresh basil, if desired.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
Made this yesterday. It was the perfect lunch this soup + grilled cheese. I did a few changes like adding in some garlic, fire roasted tomatoes instead of regular ones, cutting back the cream and adding some water in, and one extra chipotle pepper. Didn’t make it too spicy. Next time I am going to double the batch and freeze it in 2 cup servings for lunches and easy dinners. Blogged about it here. Even though I changed it quite a bit.
Kathleen,
I know it has been a couple weeks since you commented, but if you’re still trying to make this soup and freeze it, here is a suggestion. Make the large batch of soup and puree in the blender and then freeze that portion of the recipe in servings of four. Then when you take the soup out to re-heat, you can add the cream cheese and half and half to the soup, since those are the last steps of the recipe anyways.
Hope this helps! I am going to try making a double recipe of this tomorrow and freezing the rest!
Thats a great idea Jane! Freezing the soup without the dairy… one of my goals for the new year is to do freezer cooking every month to save on eating out expenses. Totally going to do that.
This looks like a great recipe for the 12 pounds of Roma tomatoes I have in the deep freeze! Only problem is I would like to make a large batch of soup and then freeze in portions serving four. I’m concerned the cream ingredients will curdle when I reheat – any suggestions?
Hi Heather – this sounds like a great recipe for the 12 pounds of Roma tomatoes in my deep freeze but I am concerned about making a big batch with the heavy cream and cream cheese and then re- freezing the finished product. I’m worried the creams will curdle whenI reheat-any suggestions?
This looks amazing! Two of my favorite things – chipotle and tomato soup. I must try it!
Wow, it looks great and the pic is stunning! I’m not a big soupy guy but might have to change now…
I love the idea of kicking up tomato soup with some smoky chipotle peppers. This soup makes me wish that fall would hurry up and get here.
The soup sounds delicious! I love the addition of chipotle to the tomato soup.
This soup looks super rich and decadent but it’s not! Win!
Well with the weather right now I feel like summer is really over. This would have been perfect with today’s rain!
Mmmm … I love a good tomato soup with a kick.
Oh, YES! I have this recipe marked to make…and I’m so happy that I do – it looks brilliant! 🙂
I would have never thought to put chipotle in tomato soup – love it!
We love spice and tomato soup! This looks like the perfect combo. ; )
I am lactose intolerant and have celiacs. This soup looks delicious but do you have a possible suggestion for substituting the cream cheese and sour cream. I was possibly hemp milk (great as a cream substitute) what are your thoughts.
If you’ve used hemp milk before with success, I bet it would be great. You could completely omit the cream cheese from any substitution as I don’t think it added that much to the soup – just my opinion. Let me know if you decide to make it using hemp milk…I would love to know how it worked out.