Turkish Tomato Soup (Domates Çorbası) — Velvety butter-finished grated tomato soup
Domates Çorbası is a beloved Turkish home soup, often served before kebabs or as a light supper. Grated ripe tomatoes simmer into a silky base, finished with butter and milk for a smooth, comforting bowl.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 800 g ripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded) (about 5–6 medium tomatoes)
- 35 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
- 20 g all-purpose flour (about 2 tbsp)
- 30 g tomato paste (about 1 tbsp)
- 600 ml water
- 400 ml low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 250 ml whole milk
- 6 g fine sea salt (about 1 tsp)
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 g granulated sugar (about 1 tsp, balances acidity)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (optional but common)
+ 2 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl, stopping when you reach the skins. Discard the skins and set…
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat until the butter foams but does not brown. Add the flour an…
- Whisk in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor and color. Add the grated tomatoes gradually while whiskin…
- Pour in the water and stock in a steady stream, whisking until the soup is smooth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a sim…
- Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the salt, black pepper, sugar, and oregano. Simmer for 3 minutes so the seasoning inte…
- Warm the milk separately until steaming but not boiling, then add it slowly to the pot while whisking to keep the soup silky. S…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
A staple in Turkish lokantas and family kitchens, Domates Çorbası is commonly served as a welcoming first course. Its smooth, buttery body and grated-tomato freshness make it a year-round comfort soup, especially alongside bread and cheese.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- For the smoothest texture, whisk continuously when adding grated tomatoes and liquids, and keep the simmer gentle to avoid scorching the roux.
- If your tomatoes are very watery, simmer 3–5 minutes longer before adding milk to concentrate flavor without adding extra paste.
- Warm the milk before adding so it blends seamlessly and reduces the chance of curdling in the acidic tomato base.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding cold milk directly to the hot, acidic soup and getting a slightly split texture.
✅ Fix: Warm the milk first and whisk it in slowly over medium-low heat, then keep the soup below a boil.
❌ Letting the flour-butter base brown too much, creating a toasted flavor that fights the fresh tomato taste.
✅ Fix: Cook the roux only until it smells nutty but stays pale, about 2 minutes over medium heat.
❌ Scorching the bottom during simmering, which makes the soup taste bitter.
✅ Fix: Use a gentle simmer and stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom and corners of the pot.
🧊 How to Store
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often; if it thickens, add 50–100 ml water. Avoid boiling after reheating to keep the milk smooth.
📅 Make Ahead
Grate the tomatoes up to 12 hours ahead and refrigerate them in a sealed container. The soup base can be cooked without milk 1 day ahead; reheat gently and whisk in warmed milk just before serving.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Toasted bread
- grilled cheese toastie
- simit
- shepherd salad
- börek.
Regional Variations
- Istanbul-style: finished with a little more milk and served with plenty of grated kashar and crunchy croutons.
- Aegean-style: a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of dried thyme instead of oregano.
- Anatolian home style: made with water only, then enriched with a small knob of butter at the end for a lighter bowl.
Ingredients
- 800 gripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded) (about 5–6 medium tomatoes)
- 35 gunsalted butter
- 15 mlolive oil
- 20 gall-purpose flour (about 2 tbsp)
- 30 gtomato paste (about 1 tbsp)
- 600 mlwater
- 400 mllow-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 250 mlwhole milk
- 6 gfine sea salt (about 1 tsp)
- 1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 4 ggranulated sugar (about 1 tsp, balances acidity)
- 1 tspdried oregano (optional but common)
- 60 gkashar cheese, finely grated (or mild mozzarella)
- 1 cupcroutons (about 30 g)
🔄 Substitutions
- low-sodium chicken stock→ vegetable stock
- kashar cheese→ mild mozzarella
- whole milk→ evaporated milk
Instructions
- 1
Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl, stopping when you reach the skins. Discard the skins and set the grated tomato pulp and juice aside so it is ready to add quickly.
- 2
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat until the butter foams but does not brown. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes, cooking out the raw flour smell while keeping the roux pale.
- 3
Whisk in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor and color. Add the grated tomatoes gradually while whisking to prevent lumps, then cook for 4 minutes until the mixture looks slightly thicker and glossy.
- 4
Pour in the water and stock in a steady stream, whisking until the soup is smooth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the bottom does not catch.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the salt, black pepper, sugar, and oregano. Simmer for 3 minutes so the seasoning integrates and the tomato acidity mellows without dulling the fresh flavor.
- 6
Warm the milk separately until steaming but not boiling, then add it slowly to the pot while whisking to keep the soup silky. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- 7
Taste and adjust with an additional 1 g salt if needed, keeping the profile bright and buttery. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with 15 g grated kashar and a small handful of croutons for classic Turkish presentation.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
A staple in Turkish lokantas and family kitchens, Domates Çorbası is commonly served as a welcoming first course. Its smooth, buttery body and grated-tomato freshness make it a year-round comfort soup, especially alongside bread and cheese.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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