Tomato Basil Soup
Homemade creamy Tomato Basil Soup is made with fresh tomatoes simmered with onion, garlic, and sweet basil. It’s a deliciously healthy vegan soup that’s ready in 30 minutes!
Soup is on with this quick and easy vegan tomato soup bursting with tomato flavor! It’s made with just a handful of ingredients in one pot and is a new favorite that I know you’ll love too!
If you’re a soup lover like me, here are a few more delicious soup recipes worth trying: Vegan Minestrone Soup, Creamy Broccoli + Red Lentil Soup, simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, or Very Good Vegan Split Pea Soup.
Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s healthy – this tomato soup is made from scratch with good for you, whole food plant based ingredients, making it 100% vegan and dairy-free!
- It’s easy to customize – if you don’t have all the fresh ingredients, you can easily substitute canned or dried ingredients.
- It’s quick – around 30 minutes- the perfect solution to your weeknight dinner worries.
- Leftovers taste even better, making this soup perfect for to-go lunches or to freeze for later!
Ingredient Notes
Here is everything you will need:
- Tomatoes – Use Roma, plum, or tomatoes on the vine (sub with canned as noted in the recipe).
- Onion – I used white, but red, yellow, or brown is ok too.
- Basil – Fresh is best, but you can substitute with dried basil as needed.
- Oregano – Dried or fresh.
- Garlic – We love fresh, but minced jarred or garlic powder also works.
- Vegetable Broth – We recommend using low-sodium.
- Vegan cream – You can use store-bought or homemade vegan cream. You can also sub with plant milk or canned coconut milk.
- Salt + pepper – As always, season to taste.
How To Make Tomato Basil Soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep: Start by prepping the onion and garlic. If using larger tomatoes, quarter them or cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Saute: In a heavy-bottomed pan, saute the onion with oil or water for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add remaining ingredients: Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and liquids.
Simmer: Bring the chunky soup to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Puree: Once the soup is done, let it rest for 10 minutes to cool. Using an immersion blender or cup blender, puree the soup until the desired consistency. Taste for flavor, adding more salt as needed.
Recommended equipment: I love using my immersion blender (affiliate link) for pureeing soups, but if you want a smoother soup use a cup blender (it may take two batches as it may not all fit at once).
How To Thicken Vegan Tomato Soup
These are my favorite dairy-free ways to thicken this soup:
- Add 1 – 2 tablespoons Vegan Cream or Vegan Sour Cream.
- Add 1 – 2 tablespoons Tahini or cashew butter.
- Use more pureed tomatoes.
How To Store + Reheat
Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Freezer: Tomato basil soup is freezer-friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in multi-use, freezer-safe containers (affiliate link), leaving 1/2 inch head space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large freezer ziplock bags. Let thaw before reheating.
Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave using 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is great for a light meal, but can be made even heartier with something extra on the side. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- Topping: Top with crumbled Coconut Bacon, croutons, or Crispy Roasted Chickpeas for a crunchy texture.
- Sandwich: It doesn’t get more classic than pairing a vegan grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup (I used Dave’s Killer Bread + Field Roast Chao vegan cheese). Another great option is this Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Sauteed Onions, Tomato & Arugula, or Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich!
- Salad: Serve with Classic House Salad or Vegan Caesar Salad.
- Grain: Add up to 1/2 cup of Farro, Quinoa, brown rice, white rice, or even this Cilantro Lime Rice to the soup for texture and healthy carbs.
- Bread: To soak up the juices, serve with homemade Artisan Bread, soft and chewy Vegan Naan, or gluten-free Socca flatbread.
If you try this homemade soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Tomato Basil Soup is made with fresh tomatoes simmered with onion, garlic and sweet basil for a deliciously creamy vegan tomato soup that’s ready in about 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: stovetop, simmer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 1 large white onion, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 lbs. tomatoes (roma, plum or tomatoes on the vine)
- 1/2 cup basil leaves (about 10 -12 large leaves) or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- salt + pepper, to taste
- vegan cream, to serve
Instructions
Prep: Start by prepping the onion and garlic. Cut the quarter the tomatoes or cut into 1 inch pieces if using larger tomatoes.
Saute: In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil or water over medium heat, saute the onion for 7 minutes, add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add remaining ingredients: Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, pinch of salt and pepper, and broth.
Simmer: Bring the chunky soup to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Puree: Once soup is done, let rest for 10 minutes to cool. Using an immersion blender or cup blender, puree the soup until desired consistency. Season with more salt & pepper as needed. If soup seems bland, it needs more salt. Stir in a couple tablespoons of vegan cream if you like.
Serve: Serve with a drizzle of vegan cream, basil and fresh cracked pepper. For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Pair with homemade Artisan Bread or soft and chewy Vegan Naan for soaking up the juices.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 days in a covered container. To store longer, freeze for up to 2 – 3 months.
Notes
If you don’t have good fresh tomatoes, sub with 2 – 28oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, juices and all.
Other thickening ideas: Add 1 – 2 tablespoons tahini or cashew butter to the pot. Add more pureed tomatoes.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love using my immersion blender (affiliate link) for pureeing soups. It’s easy to clean, small and fits well in a utensil drawer.
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Do you know the recommendations for canning this soup?