Up the tomato flavor ante by adding just a tablespoon of tomato paste to the pot of soup, too. I feel very guilty doing this so I just use a tablespoon or two. "Tomato soup is the soup of the past, present, and future," he said. If you add some cream cheese (stir well) to the soup, the result will be absolutely decadent. For tomato soup in particular, here are a few things you can do to make it better every time. Parmigiano-Reggiano. Parmigiano-Reggiano can be grated on the top of almost any soup. Easy to make since it’s made with canned whole tomatoes, and only takes 10 minutes of active cooking. Directions for stove top cooking method or slow cooker cooking method. Once you've grated the amount of cheese you intend to use, toss it with a sprinkle of cornstarch. 01 of 05. This creamy tomato basil soup with parmesan cheese recipe is the best tomato soup I have ever had. Cheesy Delight. Low-fat dairy products like 2 percent milk don't have much stability when exposed to heat and acid -- that's how you make cottage cheese, for example -- and coagulate on contact with low-pH foods like hot tomato soup. Rich tomato soup is a classic recipe rivaled only by maybe chicken noodle or matzo ball in nostalgia. It is also best to add the cheese slowly to the soup, one handful at a time, stirring to allow each portion to melt and incorporate fully. "There's nothing better than a hot bowl served with grilled cheese, or grilled peanut butter, on a cold winter day." 10. Read more: 3 Things You Can Do for Even Better Tomato Soup (Image credit: Christine Han) Thickening the Soup . If you prefer a creamy tomato soup, try adding a flavored cream instead of (or in addition to) that oil. Tomato soup can be a bit thin, especially with the addition of cream at the end of cooking, so flour is added to the sautéing aromatics to thicken the soup. While you might have a go-to recipe, there are always things you can do to soup to boost the flavor. Canned Italian wedding soup can be amped up with sausage. There are many takes on Italian wedding soup. Fresh cheese is best because pre-shredded cheeses can contain stabilizers that might make them harder to melt. The flavor adds a nice saltiness and the texture adds richness without becoming gooey or stringy. Tomato soup has everything milk needs to curdle in every satisfying spoonful: acid, heat and little fat content. Jennifer Meier. Adding cheese all at once to hot liquid can cause it to clump, so when making a cheese soup, it's best to grate the cheese first.