This Tomato Soup with Cheddar Bay Dumplings Recipe transforms classic comfort food into an exciting, hearty meal. Rich, slightly sweet tomato soup forms the perfect bath for the fluffy, savory dumplings, made effortlessly from a boxed biscuit mix. It’s a warm, bright, and utterly delicious dish that brings a playful twist to soup night, ready in about 50 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ultimate Comfort Upgrade: We’re taking that cozy, nostalgic tomato soup flavor and pairing it with the irresistible savory tang of those famous cheddar bay biscuits—it’s pure genius!
- Simple Game-Changer: The shortcut of using a packaged biscuit mix for the dumplings saves a ton of time but delivers huge flavor. It makes you feel like an accomplished chef with minimal effort.
- Hearty and Filling: Thanks to those fluffy dumplings, this soup moves from a light starter to a full, satisfying meal that will genuinely warm you up from the inside out.
Ingredients
All you need for this incredible soup and dumpling experience are a few key pantry staples and that magical biscuit mix!
- Butter: We use this rich fat to start the soup, giving our onions a luxurious, savory base to soften in.
- Sweet Onion: Sautéing this builds the crucial first layer of sweet, savory flavor for the broth.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is our secret weapon for a thick, gorgeous soup. It acts as a roux, ensuring our broth is silky smooth and not watery.
- Chicken (or Vegetable) Stock: The flavorful liquid base! Using stock instead of plain water adds wonderful depth.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes, with their juice: The star of the show! Canned diced tomatoes provide that bright, essential tomato flavor and a nice texture before blending.
- Granulated Sugar: Just a pinch! This balances the acidity of the tomatoes, making the overall flavor rounder and sweeter.
- Coarse Salt and Ground Black Pepper: The basic seasoners, but so important for bringing out all the flavor notes.
- “Cheddar Bay” Biscuit Mix: The true hero! This packet provides the cheesy, garlicky magic that transforms into our savory, fluffy dumplings.
- Butter (for brushing the dumplings): That glorious final touch! Melting this and brushing it on gives the dumplings that famous, irresistible garlic-butter sheen.
Note: The exact measurements for these ingredients, along with the full, printable instructions, are available in the recipe card right below the article!
How to Make Tomato Soup with Cheddar Bay Dumplings
Making this comfort meal is so much easier than you think! Follow these steps, and you’ll have a hearty, unforgettable soup in no time.
Step 1: Start the Soup Base
Melt the first portion of butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until they become soft and translucent—about 5 minutes. Take a deep breath; that smell is the start of something amazing!
Step 2: Build the Broth Thickness
Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This is important: cooking the flour removes that raw, “pastry” taste and sets the stage for a thick broth. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly to ensure you get a perfectly smooth, lump-free base.
Step 3: Simmer and Blend the Flavors
Add the canned tomatoes (with their juice), sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let this mingle and marry its flavors for a good 15-20 minutes. If you prefer a velvety smooth soup, carefully use an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer it in batches to a regular blender (use caution with hot liquids!). Return it to the pot once smooth.
Step 4: Prepare the Dumpling Dough
While the soup is simmering and its flavors are deepening, whisk together your biscuit mix according to the package directions. Don’t overmix—just get a cohesive, shaggy dough.
Step 5: Cook the Dumplings
Keep your soup on a low, steady simmer. Using a spoon, gently drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough directly into the hot liquid, spacing them out so they have room to expand. Don’t peek! Cover the pot and let them steam and cook for 15-20 minutes. They are done when they are fluffy and cooked all the way through.
Step 6: The Signature Finish
While the dumplings are simmering, melt the second portion of butter. Once the dumplings are cooked, remove the lid and use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the dumplings with the melted butter for that signature, glistening, savory finish.
Step 7: Serve and Enjoy!
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, making sure each lucky person gets a generous portion of the buttery, cheesy dumplings. Enjoy immediately!
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Don’t Rush the Roux: When you add the flour to the butter, make sure to cook it for that full minute. This step guarantees your soup will taste rich and professional, not raw or pasty.
- The Power of the Simmer: That 15-20 minute simmer is crucial! It allows the tomato acid to mellow and the flavors from the onion, stock, and seasoning to blend into a cohesive, flavorful soup.
- Keep the Lid On the Dumplings: Once you drop the dough in, do not remove the lid until the time is up! The dumplings cook primarily through steam, and opening the lid lets the heat escape, potentially leading to undercooked, dense dumplings.
- Make it Extra Cheesy: Want even more cheesy goodness? Sprinkle a little extra shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the soup and dumplings right before serving!
How to Serve
This soup is practically a meal in itself, thanks to those dumplings! But if you want to make it an extra special experience, here’s how to serve it:
- A Simple Side: Pair it with a fresh, crunchy side salad tossed in a light vinaigrette. The bright crunch provides a wonderful contrast to the rich soup.
- The Classic Pairing: If you’re feeling extra nostalgic (and you should be!), serve a grilled cheese sandwich cut into dipping strips on the side.
- Garnish like a Pro: Finish each bowl with a light drizzle of good olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley, or a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Allow the soup and dumplings to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep in mind the dumplings will absorb some of the liquid and become softer over time.
Freezing
The soup base freezes beautifully! Place the blended soup (without the dumplings) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. We don’t recommend freezing the cooked dumplings, as their texture can change significantly upon thawing.
Reheating
Reheat individual portions gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave. If reheating the full batch, add a splash of extra stock or water to adjust the consistency, as the flour and dumplings may have thickened it further.
FAQs
- Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?Absolutely, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time significantly! You’ll need about $1.3 \text{ kg}$ of fresh, ripe tomatoes. You’ll have to peel and deseed them, and then simmer them longer (around 45 minutes to an hour) to break them down and concentrate their flavor. Using high-quality canned tomatoes is the best and easiest shortcut for this recipe.
- My dumplings are dense and heavy—what went wrong?The most common reason for dense dumplings is lifting the lid during the steaming process. You must let them cook, undisturbed, for the full 15-20 minutes, so the steam can cook the dough completely. The other reason could be overmixing the biscuit dough; mix it just until combined, no more!
- Can I make this soup vegetarian or vegan?It’s easy to make the soup base vegetarian! Simply use a high-quality vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. For a completely vegan option, you would need to use a vegan biscuit mix (many store-bought brands contain milk/cheese) and use a vegan butter substitute.
- I don’t have an immersion blender. How do I get a smooth soup?You can use a regular stand blender! The key is to work in small batches and be extremely careful, as hot liquid can create steam and pop the lid off. Remove the plastic center of the blender lid, cover the opening with a kitchen towel, and pulse slowly. Never fill the blender more than half full with hot liquid.
Tomato Soup with Cheddar Bay Dumplings
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add tomato paste and stir to coat the onions. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then add crushed tomatoes, broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Stir in heavy cream if using, then reduce heat to low.
- To make dumplings: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in cheddar cheese, then add milk gradually until a soft dough forms.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough into the simmering soup. Cover and cook for 12–15 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through (do not lift the lid while cooking).
- Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls. Garnish with extra cheddar or fresh herbs if desired, and serve hot.