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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup

Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup

October 21, 2015 by Alea Milham 54 Comments

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Whether your pantry is bare or you have dietary restrictions, if you need a substitute for condensed tomato soup, you will find this quick and easy condensed tomato soup recipe works very well!

How to Make a Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup - Recipe and Tips. This quick and easy Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup can be used to replace tomato soup in recipes.

Are you ever disappointed with a product after you read the ingredient list? Yeah, me too! Even when I am lucky enough to find a product without wheat, I am often dismayed by some of the other ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or modified food starch. Fortunately, I have found that creating substitutions from scratch allows me to have complete control over the ingredients, costs quite a bit less, and does not take that much time to do.

This Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup can be used to replace condensed tomato soup in recipes. This quick and easy condensed tomato soup recipe uses common pantry ingredients.

When we went gluten-free, I realized we could no longer use canned condensed tomato soup, or most other canned tomato soups because they use flour to thicken the soup.

How to Make a Substitute for Condensed Tomato Soup

I have created a tomato soup substitution recipe that makes the equivalent of one can of condensed tomato soup. You can use it if you are gluten-free or if you are avoiding some of the other ingredients in canned tomato soup. You can also use this as a replacement for condensed tomato soup instead of running to the store if you find that your pantry is bare.

This quick and easy condensed tomato soup recipe uses common pantry ingredients.

Condensed Tomato Soup Recipe

I use organic tomato sauce and non-gmo cornstarch, but you should choose whichever brands you feel comfortable using or have readily available to you. If you are out of white sugar, you can replace brown sugar or honey, but it will slightly alter the taste.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 – 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
  2. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
  3. If you are using a recipe that calls for condensed tomato soup, use this substitute as the recipe directs. You can also add 1 cup of liquid (milk, water, or a combination) to make soup, though if I were doing that I would add some seasonings to spice it up a bit!

Printable Recipe for Condensed Tomato Soup Substitute

Print
5 from 8 votes

Condensed Tomato Soup Substitute

Course Soup
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Author Alea

Ingredients

  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 - 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
  • Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

Notes

If you are using a recipe that calls for condensed tomato soup, use this substitute as the recipe directs. You can also add 1 cup of liquid (milk, water, or a combination) to make soup, though if I were doing that I would add some seasonings to spice it up a bit!

 

You can also use this recipe in Tomato Soup Cake, which is surprisingly delicious and tastes like a spice cake.

Do you have foods that you have to avoid for health reasons? Do you avoid some just based on principle? Have you found healthier substitutions for convenience foods so that you can avoid these items?

More Tomato Recipes and Substitutions:

Tomato Sauce Substitutes

Fast and Easy Pizza Sauce

Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

More Tomato Soup Recipes

Tomato and Herb Soup

Alea’s Pizza Soup Recipe

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Carol says

    April 21, 2025 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    I was in the process of making ham and bean soup (with left-over ham from Easter dinner) and when I went to add the tomato soup… I didn’t have any. I always have tomato soup on hand. I found your recipe and it worked perfectly. Thanks for this recipe. It is great and I will probably use it from now on instead of purchased condensed tomato soup.

    Reply
  2. Rebecca Miller says

    April 22, 2023 at 5:56 pm

    Won’t the corn starch clump up, or should I make a slurry?

    Reply
  3. Ruth says

    May 12, 2022 at 4:13 pm

    5 stars
    Super substitute! Thank you. Saved our sausage noodle casserole! Keep up the good work!

    Reply
  4. Meg says

    January 25, 2022 at 1:38 am

    What uf u don’t have corn starch what can u use in place of it

    Reply
    • Sue G says

      February 2, 2023 at 1:54 pm

      Potato starch….Google for how/where to buy in your area. My son can’t have corn so I needed to know the answer to that question also.

      Reply
  5. Autumn Agar says

    March 29, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    I am allergic to tomato in any form. I have a recipe that calls for cream of mushroom soup and tomato soup. Are there ingredients that I can add that are tomato free but still avoid the tomato?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 29, 2021 at 8:30 pm

      You can substitute pumpkin puree for the tomato sauce to get a similar texture.

      Reply
  6. Judie Janse van Rensburg says

    January 12, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    Hi, I am in Austalia and here Tomato Sauce is what you would call Ketchup. Could you try explaining what you mean when referring to Tomato Sauce please.
    For us Pasta Sauce is a jar of Tomato Based Sauce that goes over Pasta, Tomato Paste is the concentrated Tomato Paste you would use as pizza base. Thanks

    Reply
    • Shelly says

      July 27, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      So your pasta sauce is for noodles that has seasonings already in it. Yes tomato paste is the same. I guess tomato sauce would basically just plain tomatoes (no seeds) blended/puréed and canned. That’s it. Then there is diced tomatoes in a can, whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes… I hope that helps

      Reply
  7. Elizabeth says

    August 13, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    Can this be made with no sugar? My daughter is unable to have sugar right now.

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      August 14, 2017 at 3:06 pm

      Yes, it can. Obviously it will be a little less sweet, but it will not impact the texture of the soup.

      Reply
  8. Gail says

    May 26, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    5 stars
    On an oddly chilly Memorial Day, I have a taste for grilled cheese and tomato soup, but no soup. I added a touch of garlic, onion powders, Italian seasonings, S&P. Perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich while we listen to the rain and put on a sweater…Happy Summer!

    Reply
  9. fredswifesue says

    April 7, 2017 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    Have a question: I want to make an old ‘french’ salad dressing that calls for a can of condensed tomato soup. (I am sensitive to wheat therefore no creamed soups.)
    Canned soup is already cooked when it comes from the can. Any suggestions for cooking the cornstarch in this substitute recipe w/o scorching the whole thing in the process? I need it to be cooked for the salad dressing recipe so it can do it’s thickening of the dressing.

    Reply
  10. Paul says

    January 26, 2017 at 1:03 am

    Like Vashti Wood, I wondered about ‘tomato sauce’, although I’m English. It seems that it is what is sold as Passata in the UK

    Reply
  11. Elizabeth Kaltenbrun says

    January 23, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. I needed a gluten free version for my son and I make my own tomato sauce….This is perfect and so simple!!

    Reply
  12. Vashti Wood says

    July 30, 2016 at 6:28 pm

    Just a quick question (for all us Aussies out there): to us, “tomato sauce” is what you call ketchup… What exactly, then, is the stuff called “tomato sauce”? I couldn’t see the whole can in the picture. Thanks, in advance, for answering.

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      July 31, 2016 at 10:58 pm

      Tomato sauce is pureed tomatoes. It is much thinner than tomato paste. It has a similar consistency to ketchup, but it is just straight tomatoes, no added ingredients.

      Reply
      • Michelle Giroux says

        November 2, 2016 at 6:36 am

        So would just blended tomatoes work?

        Reply
        • Alea Milham says

          November 2, 2016 at 8:10 am

          No, you really need the cornstarch to make it thicker.

          Reply
  13. Jess says

    May 15, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    I use this as a substitute in this recipe:
    http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tomato-tortellini-soup?keycode=ZFB

    I actually just put the liquid ingredients and the this sub for tomato soup in my slow cooker to heat it up then once it’s warm enough I made and add the tortellini and the other ingredients.

    Reply
  14. Jenny says

    November 25, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    Thanks! This is perfect for when i realize I don’t have any soup in the house, but I do make sure that I pick up tomato sauce each week at the store, so I always have plenty of that!

    Reply
  15. Becca from It's Yummi! says

    October 29, 2015 at 10:42 am

    I love this recipe, Alea! I’m not eating gluten free, but I try to stay away from all of the “crap” ingredients and extra sodium that are normally in canned soups.
    I’m making a stuffed pepper soup and it calls for condensed tomato soup. This will be perfect! Thanks so much.

    Reply
  16. erica says

    April 7, 2015 at 10:31 am

    Can this be made ahead and frozen for future Recipes?

    Reply
  17. Jen Emerson says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    What a godsend in finding this recipe. I was out of tomato soup and had tomato sauce on hand. Needed it for recipe and was not going out in the snow for it.Thank you so much for posting this.

    Reply
  18. Cherene says

    January 24, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this simple recipe. It is exactly what I was looking for. I have Crohns Disease and found going gluten free has made a world of difference. I have become a serious label reader but, for some reason I never read the Campbell’s Tomato soup label until tonight. Wheat flour? Really? I made your soup tonight instead and it was perfect. Thanks again 🙂

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      January 25, 2015 at 12:04 pm

      I am so glad that you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

      Reply
  19. Martha says

    November 6, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    Ever tried making this in big batches and either canning it or freezing it (wonder how it would hold up in the freezer)

    Reply
  20. Bren says

    September 20, 2014 at 7:49 am

    I have celiac disease and am unable to eat Tomato soup, so I tried this as a substitute in a recipe and it was delicious!!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Will be using this regularly now!!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      September 20, 2014 at 8:37 am

      Thanks for taking the time to let me know that my condensed tomato soup recipe worked for you! You made my day!

      Reply
  21. April says

    December 2, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. I always use a can to make meatloaf (1/2 the can in the meat, 1/2 on top!) and this came a solution for me when I was already half way through making my loaf and found out I had no tomato soup! I might never go back!

    Reply
  22. Beth A says

    October 30, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    Saved the beef stew tonight! So glad to have found your site, thank you very much.
    I’m using this from now on instead of the canned condensed tomato soup, in several recipes.

    Reply
  23. Angie says

    October 23, 2013 at 8:54 am

    Thanks so much for this recipe. I am also living in Germany where condensed soups are almost impossible to find, and when you do find them they are very expensive. Additionally, I love this because I can adjust quantities if I am cutting a recipe in 1/2, so I don’t have 1/2 a can of leftover soup to use!

    Reply
  24. Pam C says

    August 14, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    You saved my dinner tonight too! I had one can of tomato sauce and made this. It was excellent. I may quit stocking up tomato soup and use this exclusively. I may can my own tomato sauce too. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      August 14, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      Thanks for letting me know! You made my day!

      Reply
  25. Leann says

    June 24, 2013 at 7:45 pm

    5 stars
    Just tried this tonight in my beef & broccoli recipe & it was fantastic! 5 stars! Excellent taste, super easy to make & I was able to make it completely organic. I have been looking for an organic alternative to cream of tomato soup & I’m so glad that I can across your post. Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
  26. Erin says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:00 am

    I am so excited to try this!! I made the switch to homemade “cream of” soups, but couldn’t find a good substitute for the canned condensed tomato soup… thank you!!

    Reply
  27. Ann says

    April 25, 2013 at 10:15 am

    This was a huge help – Thanks!

    Reply
  28. Zoe says

    January 19, 2013 at 9:39 am

    I am very grateful to this post. I have found a really good tomato tortellini soup that calls for condensed tomato soup. I decided to look for a substitute because condensed tomato soup really isn’t that healthy, and its made with wheat flour! At least tortellini with rice flour I can hand make. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  29. Sherri says

    January 9, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    Thank you for helping me better my families health! This substitue worked like a charm for a recipe I’ve made for years using condensed tomato soup. So happy I never have to go back to that with all the salt and high fructose corn syrup.

    Reply
  30. WANDA says

    October 5, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    THIS WORKS PERFECT, I ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF KETCHUP TO THE RECIPE! COULD NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND THE TOMATO SOUP!

    Reply
  31. Brandi says

    April 11, 2012 at 11:54 am

    Great recipe! Perfect consistency! I used only 1T of sugar and it tasted great! 🙂

    Reply
  32. Carol says

    December 27, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I was sick when I needed this for a recipe I was making and couldn’t get out of the house, to get the soup.

    Reply
  33. michelle lubbers says

    November 30, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    “Are you ever disappointed with a product after you read the ingredient list?” Yeah, Me TOO!

    Thanks for sharing!! I try to avoid if at all possible all the extra ingredients condensed soups contain.. I don’t mind the extra work when I know I am making a much better choice for my family.

    Reply
  34. M. Veal says

    November 21, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    many thanks…and ditto to all the above!!

    Reply
  35. Jenn says

    August 11, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I googled a substitute today after realizing mid-supper prep that I didn’t have any condensed tomato soup. This was super easy and I think I may never buy tomato soup again!

    Reply
  36. Anni says

    April 30, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Thank you for the tip!

    Reply
  37. Anonymous says

    January 25, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    I am always dismayed when buying tomato soup because of the high fructose corn syrup… But it is something my daughter likes to eat on occasion. I am extremely pleased to see this recipe. I will try it and hope she likes it better.
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
  38. Anonymous says

    November 27, 2010 at 6:04 pm

    Couldnt agree more with that, very attractive article

    Reply
  39. Alea says

    June 23, 2010 at 6:14 pm

    I am so glad!

    Reply
  40. serendipitously.create says

    June 23, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    You saved dinner! I had no tomato soup, but TONS of tomato sauce. Thanks a million!!

    Reply
  41. Melissa says

    April 6, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    I agree. I like the canned tomato soup, but shouldn't have all the salt that it contains. This sounds like a good substitution, even if I need to adjust the seasoning. Thanks!

    Reply
  42. Beth says

    April 6, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    I pretty much avoid anything that I can make from scratch at home. My daughter has lots of tummy issues and does not respond well to anything that is prepackaged…even if the ingredients listed are "safe" for her to eat. Makes you wonder what's in that stuff. 🙂 Thanks for this recipe! I'll have to try it soon!

    Reply
  43. Lost in Translation says

    April 6, 2010 at 9:21 am

    Great post. I have never seen condensed soups here in Germany and it is a real bummer when trying to cook american recipes. I will be sure to try this. Now off time find the name for cornstarch in German 🙂

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      September 19, 2018 at 2:22 pm

      You can use potato starch or rice starch in it’s place if you can find those. Or just use 2 T all purpose flour if you don’t have a problem with gluten

      Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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