Tomato Florentine Soup

This Tomato Florentine soup is creamy, flavorful and easy to make. All you need is some ripe tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), a few pantry staples and spinach. Pair with some crusty Dutch Oven Bread, Parmesan Crisps, sprinkle with some cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches or serve with pasta.

A simple soup made with tomatoes and fresh spinach.

You may have tried the popular in the US chicken Florentine soup, but have you tasted this comforting tomato soup?

The term Florentine comes from French and means “food cooked with fresh spinach” or “dish served on a bed of spinach”.

In modern cooking it means  food that includes spinach in it.
Adding spinach to your favorite homemade creamy tomato soup? This version is just as fresh and flavorful as my tomato basil soup. 

How to make smooth and flavorful Tomato Florentine Soup at home?

Ingredients needed:
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Butter or vegetable oil
• Fresh carrot, diced
• Onion (white or yellow, chopped)
• Fresh garlic
• Baby spinach
• Salt and black pepper
• Sugar (optional ingredient, you can add maple syrup of honey)
• Thyme, Oregano, Basil – can omit a seasoning you don’t like
• Fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled and diced
• Vegetable or chicken stock (or any powdered stock/base + water)
• Heavy cream, half and half or any suitable non dairy cream substitute
• Toppings – fresh herbs, drizzle of heavy cream or olive oil, hot pepper flakes

Cooking Method:

• In a large pot over medium heat melt butter. Sauté onion until tender. Add carrot and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.

• Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, thyme, basil, oregano, black pepper and stir. Add chicken stock and cook for 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently.
• Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth.
• Return soup to the pot and add spinach. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Add heavy cream, give it a stir and remove from heat.
• Serve warm.

Recipe Tips/Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I add pasta? Some tomato Florentine soup recipes contain pasta, but I decided to go light and not use any. Anyway, I’m not a fan of soups with pasta or noodles with e few exceptions. But you can definitely add some cooked pasta to you soup. I recommend that you cook it separately. Some of the best options are Orzo, Ditalini, Penne or Pastina. They absorb the flavors very well.

Can I add rice to the soup?

Yes, you can definitely add cooked white or brown rice.

Pick good quality spinach for best results. Before cooking spinach make sure you buy the greenest and freshest leaves, since spinach starts to loose nutrients soon after it is harvested. Make sure you remove the stems and thickest veins and wash spinach in cold water. Swirl around to remove any dirt  from it.

Using frozen spinach. If it happens to buy a lot of spinach and you can’t use it right away, you can always freeze it. Frozen spinach is ok to be used in this soup recipe. But not my number one choice, because freezing changes the texture and slightly alters the nutrients.

Why do you add sugar to tomato soup/sauce?

I usually add around 1 teaspoon of sugar when making tomato sauce or tomato soup. This amount may vary, depending on the amount made. Here is why I do it:

It balances the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the soup taste better. On the other hand, this makes the other flavors (onion, garlic and herbs) stand out more.

What toppings work best for tomato spinach soup?

• Chopped fresh herbs – basil, chives, parsley
• Hot pepper flakes
• Parmesan Crisps
• Croutons
• A drizzle of heavy cream or olive oil
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese or even Feta

Flavor

For a more rich flavor, you can even roast and peel fresh tomatoes.

Add herbs of your choice, that are not listed in the recipe.

Fresh spinach, preferably baby spinach

Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar to enhance the tomato flavors. This is my favorite tip.

You can also add some pesto to the soup before serving.

How to store and can you freeze and reheat this spinach tomato soup?

• Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
• Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave until warm enough to serve. Do not overheat, as it may change texture.
• This is such a small batch of soup, so I personally wouldn’t freeze it, because it is not going to last more than 1 day in my house. But it can be frozen, despite the heavy cream used as an ingredient. Freeze in a zip lock bag or a freezer safe container. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.

This creamy tomato Florentine soup is simple to make and can be enjoyed any time. It is the perfect side for grilled cheese sandwiches.