Polish Tomato Soup with Pasta: A Simple, Cozy Recipe

Polish tomato soup, or zupa pomidorowa, is a tomato-rich soup often served with small pasta and finished with a little cream. This version combines passata, canned tomatoes, and broth for a balanced, gently tangy bowl; Polish households vary the details, and rice is another familiar accompaniment.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola oil
1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely diced
1 medium carrot (about 75 g), peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) sweet paprika
8 cups (1.9 L) chicken or vegetable broth, preferably lower-sodium
24 ounces (680 g) passata, also called strained tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces/411 g) diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar, optional, to soften sharp tomato acidity
1 teaspoon fine salt (about 6 g), plus more to taste; use less if your broth is salty
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces (225 g) small pasta, such as elbow macaroni, small shells, or ditalini
4 quarts (3.8 L) water and 1 tablespoon (18 g) salt, for cooking the pasta
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or whipping cream
2 tablespoons (6 g) finely chopped fresh dill, optional, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion into small, even pieces and grate the carrot finely so it softens quickly and blends into the soup. Measure out the broth, tomatoes, and seasonings before you start cooking. If you prefer a completely smooth soup, keep a blender or immersion blender nearby; blending is optional, not essential.
Soften the onion and carrot. Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, stir in the onion and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat moderate: browning the onion can give the soup a more pronounced roasted flavor than the mellow, rounded taste intended here.
Cook the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and paprika and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir. This brief cooking helps the paste lose its raw edge and spread evenly through the broth. If the paste begins to stick, add a small splash of broth rather than letting it scorch.
Add the tomatoes and simmer. Pour in the broth, passata, and diced tomatoes, then add the bay leaf, sugar if using, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring the soup just to a gentle boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot partially, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. A gentle simmer is enough; a hard boil can reduce the soup too quickly and make splashes more likely. Remove and discard the bay leaf when the soup has finished simmering.
Cook the pasta separately. While the soup simmers, bring the measured water to a boil in a second pot, add the pasta salt, and cook the pasta according to its package directions until just al dente. Drain it well. Cooking it separately keeps the pasta from soaking up the broth as it cooks and makes leftovers easier to store. If you are serving everyone immediately, you can instead cook the pasta in the soup, but add extra broth and watch the timing closely.
Blend if desired and adjust the seasoning. For a smooth texture, use an immersion blender in the pot, or carefully blend batches in a countertop blender, following the appliance’s instructions for hot liquids. Leave the soup chunky if you like little pieces of tomato. Taste it and add more salt, pepper, or a little sugar only if needed; the right balance depends on the acidity of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the broth.
Finish with cream and serve. Put the cream in a heatproof bowl and whisk in a ladleful of hot soup a little at a time. Stir the warmed cream mixture back into the pot over low heat. Heat gently until steaming, but do not let the soup boil after adding cream. Divide the drained pasta among bowls and ladle the soup over it, or stir the pasta into the pot just before serving. Finish with dill if you like.

Tips

Choose the tomato texture you want. Passata gives the soup a smooth, even tomato base, while diced tomatoes add small pieces and a little more body. If you cannot find passata, blend canned whole or diced tomatoes until smooth; the result may be slightly less silky, but it works well. Avoid substituting tomato sauce without checking its seasoning, since many prepared sauces contain herbs, salt, or added sugar.
Keep the cream from curdling. Tempering means slowly warming the cream with a little hot soup before adding it to the pot. It reduces the temperature shock that can cause dairy to look grainy. Use gentle heat for the final step and avoid boiling. For a lighter finish, half-and-half can work, though it is more prone to splitting than heavy cream.
Season in stages. Broth and canned tomatoes vary in salt, and a long simmer concentrates their flavor. Start with the listed salt, then taste after the simmer and again after adding cream. Add sugar only a pinch at a time if the tomatoes taste sharply acidic; it should round out the flavor, not make the soup noticeably sweet.
Keep pasta separate for make-ahead meals. Pasta left in soup continues to absorb liquid, becoming soft and leaving the pot thicker. Store it in a separate container and combine it with the soup in each bowl. If the soup thickens in storage, loosen it with broth or water as it reheats.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in shallow bowls, with a portion of pasta in each one so every serving gets a good balance of noodles and tomato broth. Chopped dill is a familiar, fresh-tasting garnish, but parsley or a spoonful of sour cream can also suit the soup. If using sour cream, temper it with a little hot soup before spooning it on, or serve it at the table so people can add their own.

A slice of rye bread, crusty bread, or a simple buttered roll makes an easy accompaniment for soaking up the broth. For a fuller meal, pair the soup with a green salad dressed with a mild vinaigrette or serve it before a plate of roasted vegetables. Keep any extra pasta, bread, or garnish on the side rather than mixing everything into the pot if the soup will not be eaten right away.

Variations

Use rice instead of pasta: Rice is a common alternative in Polish tomato soup. Cook it separately and spoon it into bowls just as you would the pasta. Separate cooking keeps the rice from drawing too much liquid from the soup and lets you control the texture of each serving. Short-grain or long-grain white rice both work; follow the package timing.

Make it vegetarian: Choose vegetable broth and check that it has a flavor you enjoy, since broth provides much of the soup’s savory base. For a dairy-free version, omit the butter in favor of more oil and finish with unsweetened oat or soy cream. The flavor will be a little less rich, so taste carefully and adjust the salt and pepper.

Make it tangier or more rustic: For a brighter bowl, leave out the sugar and add a small spoonful of sour cream to each serving. For more texture, skip blending and use a fork to break up some of the tomato pieces while leaving others whole. A little extra grated carrot can also lend sweetness and body without changing the basic character of the soup.

Change the pasta shape: Small pasta is easiest to eat by the spoonful, but broken spaghetti, small tubes, or small shells are practical substitutes. Use the same weight rather than measuring by volume, because shapes pack differently in a measuring cup. If your chosen pasta takes longer to cook than the soup needs to simmer, simply boil it separately and drain it when tender.

Storage and Reheating

For food safety, refrigerate the soup and pasta within 2 hours of cooking. Store them in separate covered containers; the soup keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator, and the pasta is best used within the same period. If you have already combined them, the soup is still safe to store, but the noodles will soften and absorb more broth as they sit.

Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until hot throughout. Add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. USDA FSIS guidance is to reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Avoid boiling the soup hard, especially after cream has been added, because vigorous heat can affect its texture.

To freeze, cool the soup promptly, leave out the pasta, and transfer the soup to freezer-safe containers with room for expansion. Freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as described and cook fresh pasta for serving. Cream-based soup can separate slightly after freezing; whisk it gently as it warms, or freeze the tomato base before adding cream and stir in fresh cream during reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this Polish tomato soup different from a basic tomato soup?

It is commonly served as a broth-based meal with pasta or rice, rather than as a thick purée on its own. Many versions begin with a flavorful broth and finish with cream or sour cream, though the exact ingredients vary among households. This recipe uses passata and canned tomatoes for a clear tomato flavor while keeping the soup easy to make with everyday ingredients.

Can I cook the pasta directly in the soup?

Yes. Bring the soup to a steady simmer, add the pasta, and cook it according to the package directions, stirring regularly so it does not stick. You may need to add about 1–2 cups (240–480 ml) extra broth because the pasta absorbs liquid. This method is convenient when serving the full pot immediately, but separate cooking gives better-textured leftovers.

Can I make the soup without cream?

Yes. The soup is enjoyable without dairy, and you can simply leave the cream out. It will taste brighter and a little less rounded. For a dairy-free creamy finish, use an unsweetened plant-based cooking cream. Avoid sweetened or strongly flavored milk alternatives, which can change the taste of the tomato broth.

My soup tastes too sour. How can I fix it?

First taste it after the full simmer, since the carrot and cooking time soften the tomato flavor. Add a small pinch of sugar, stir, and taste again; repeat only if necessary. A little cream can also mellow the acidity. Do not add a large amount of sugar at once, because the aim is balance rather than a sweet soup.

Can I prepare Polish tomato soup ahead of time?

Yes. Make the tomato soup base a day ahead, cool and refrigerate it promptly, and cook the pasta separately. Reheat the base gently, then temper and add the cream shortly before serving. This approach preserves the pasta’s texture and makes it easier to adjust the thickness and seasoning once the soup is hot.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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