Creamy Tomato Hummus Soup
Updated January 26, 2026
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
- Ready In
- 45 min
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper, plus more for serving
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh basil (about ½ packed cup)
1 (10-ounce) container hummus (about 1 heaping cup)
Salt
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent with some crispy edges, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. Add the garlic and Aleppo pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and basil and bring to a boil over high.
- Step 2
Once the liquid boils, partially cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium. Vigorously simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and vigorously simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs.
- Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the hummus to the soup and whisk until incorporated. Taste and season with salt. Depending on the acidity of the hummus, add enough sugar to balance out the tartness.
- Step 4
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper on top, if you like. The soup lasts up to a week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.
Private Notes
Comments
I don’t purchase hummus, I make it. I could use my homemade hummus here but it would also be great if there was a suggestion on what to add to the blender to do it all in one step. Thinking this might be a great use for chickpea flour.
@Mary Alford Maybe try 3/4 cup chickpeas, a small clove of garlic, a heaping TBSP of tahini, TBSP of water, a couple teaspoons of lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt to the blender to mimic the hummus? Obviously I don’t know your exact recipe but that’s how I’d approximate mine!
I made this last night as the lake effect snow whited out the neighborhood. I used the following modifications: roasted tomatoes, no basil (who buys fresh basil when it's subzero out?!?!), 4 cloves of garlic, and a caramelized onion hummus. I also used an immersion blender to make it a little smoother after cooking. It was tasty, but quite tart, even with some extra sugar. It came out a little too thin for my tastes and I probably will add less water if I make it again.
A friend made this for me using fresh tomatoes, and I ate it cold from the fridge and blended very smooth. It was absolutely perfect. I’m going to serve it as a dinner party starter with a poached shrimp on each bowl.
Made this 3 times. Used Sclafani crushed tomatoes (Jersey) as I had a bunch (easy to find online). Good, not crazy acid. Everything Hummus from Lidl works very well with an extra kick. I agree with the 10 minute twice cook method. It caramelizes the tomatoes a bit to bring out flavor, then thin it back with more water. Stick blender to thin it a bit is quite helpful. I do simmer it at the end for 5 minutes to get the graininess out of the hummus. Even better after it rests.
This was delicious. We are big fans of tomato soup, and this didn't disappoint. I used leek due to a garlic intolerance and yellow onion because I had them on hand. I used 3 cups of unsalted vegetable broth, and I did not add sugar. No fresh basil, so a generous amount of freeze dried. Red Pepper flakes.