This recipe for Tomato Soup is best made with fresh tomatoes, but canned work too in a pinch! It’s simple and easy and can be made in under 30 minutes. Cozy, comforting and perfect for bridging the seasons between summer and fall. Vegan-adaptable.
The soul has been given its own ears to hear things the mind does not understand. ~ Rumi
For the last month, this Tomato Soup has become a weekly occurrence at our home. I’ve been making jars of it to give away to busy friends and serving it up as dinner with a few slices of homemade sourdough (or sourdough croutons) and a swirl of Arugula Almond Pesto. Even though it’s just soup, it feels like a meal.
What I love about this recipe is that it can be made with fresh tomatoes like we are using right now, or with canned Roma tomatoes in winter when fresh tomatoes are long gone. It can also easily be made vegan.
Our neighbors have a big basil patch which they’ve generously shared, so I wander over there and a handful of basil to make the arugula pesto to go with this. But the soup doesn’t need the arugula pest0 – it’s just as good on its own.
Homemade Tomato Soup Video
Ingredients in Tomato Soup:
- olive oil, butter or ghee
- onion
- carrot (or celery)
- tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- broth
- seasonings
- basil
- cream or cashews
How to make tomato soup from scratch:
- Saute onion and carrots in a heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add fresh or canned tomatoes, broth, seasonings and salt and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add fresh basil and blend.
- Stir in cream.
What tomatoes should I use?
- Use fresh tomatoes if possible, but canned will work too. An easy pantry meal!
- If using canned, use San Marzano, if you can find them.
- Using fresh tomatoes when they are in season- elevates, and makes the BEST tomato soup.
Quarter the tomatoes and simmer with the broth, covered, until broken down, about 10-15 minutes.
Using an immersion blender makes this especially quick and easy.
Then add cream or half and half. (Or, for a vegan option, add raw cashews to the simmering tomatoes to soften before blending.)
Delicious Tomato Soup Toppings!
Keep it simple and serve with crusty bread, or add any or all of these toppings.
- Add chopped tomatoes for more texture.
- Add a few basil ribbons
- Arugula almond pesto or Basil Pesto
- Sourdough croutons!
- parmesan cheese, pecorino or Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle!
What our readers are saying:
Veronica: This is the best tomato soup I’ve ever had. Love it! I’ll keep the recipe for sure. Thank You
Melanie: Made this for dinner. Excellent. I used carrots, celery and red bell pepper in it. I doubled the recipe. I’ll freeze some and use some in a creamy Parmesan pasta sauce.
Danielle: Absolutely the best tomato soup!
Other recipes you might like:
- Coconut Ginger Tomato Soup
- Arugula Almond Pesto
- Roasted Tomato Soup with Halloumi Croutons
- Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Glowing Carrot Soup
- Simple Celery Soup
- Our 25 Most Popular Vegetarian Soups!
Enjoy this simple Tomato Soup. Make it for a friend, or do something kind with it this week.
xoxo
Homemade Tomato Soup
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 cups
- Category: soup, vegan,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Homemade Tomato Soup made with fresh or canned tomatoes, made in under 30 minutes. Creamy, easy and Vegan-adaptable (see notes)!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons ghee, butter or olive oil (the ghee is good!)
- 1 extra-large onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced (or sub celery or red bell pepper)
- 2 lbs fresh tomatoes ( or one, 28-ounce can of San Marzano Tomatoes)
- 1 cup water plus 2 bouillon cubes (chicken or veggie)
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar (or sugar alternative)
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 10–15 basil leaves
- pinch cayenne (optional, but good)
- 1/2 cup cream or half and half (or sub-cashews-see notes)
- 1–2 tablespoon sour cream- optional!
Optional toppings:
- Add chopped tomatoes for more texture.
- Add a few basil ribbons
- Arugula almond pesto
- Sourdough croutons!
- parmesan cheese, pecorino or try Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle!
Instructions
- Heat butter in a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute until softened about 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots, lower heat to medium, saute 3-4 minutes more until onions are golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes, honey or sugar, salt and pepper. (If making this vegan, add cashews now-see notes.) Stir, increase heat and bring to a simmer, cover, then lower heat to low, so it’s gently simmering. Simmer 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and carrots are tender. Remove from heat.
- Using an immersian blender, blend the soup adding the basil leaves. Or you can blend in a blender.
- Return it to the pot. Stir in the cream.
- Taste and adjust salt and sugar. Add a little pinch of cayenne.
- Whisk in the sour cream if you like.
- Serve in bowls with basil ribbons, arugula almond pesto, croutons, pecorino, or fresh little tomatoes (halved).
Notes
If making this vegan, add 1/3-1/2 cup raw cashews to simmering tomatoes to soften before blending. You will need to blend the soup a little longer.
To use broth or stock instead of bouillon cubes- feel free, but you will need to increase the salt to taste.
STORE: Soup will last 4 days in the fridge or freeze for winter in mason jars with 1-inch headroom (for expansion).
Keywords: tomato soup, tomato soup recipe, easy tomato soup, vegan tomato soup, creamy tomato soup, best tomato soup, tomato basil soup
So easy and so good! I used fresh tomatoes, cashews as I didn’t have cream on hand and broth powder from a Central Washington company. It was wonderful without any additional toppings, although I love the Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle recipe and will try that next time when I have the ingredients on hand.
★★★★★
Great to hear Sherie!!!
So delicious! I’m a private chef and I made this as part of lunch. I made it vegan so I used plant based butter not ghee. I did not add cream either. I made my own macadamia nut/basil vegan pesto. I’ll be making this at home a lot! Everyone raved how flavorful it was. And IT IS!! Thanks !
★★★★★
Great to hear Dawn!
I used the red peppers instead of carrots. Excellent! I did not need to add a thing, I even skipped the pesto and croutons, with fresh garden tomatoes and basil it tasted like summer.
★★★★★
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Susan!
Delicious! Love the tip to add cashews directly to the cooking soup to soften!
★★★★★
Thanks Lori and happy you enjoyed this!
I’m new to vegan should I just add the 1/2 cup raw cashews to tomatoes? Does it dissolve?
Hi Ursula- the cashews will soften as they simmer (not dissolve) and then be easier to blend ( giving the soup a creamy texture). You can also soak the cashews in water for 8 hours but this way is faster. 😉
This is the absolute best tomato soup we have ever eaten! My hubby said “Its like the soup you don’t get enough of, before your meal in a fancy restaurant”! LOL
I used tomatoes and basil from my garden, onions, carrots, celery and several sweet peppers (just because I like veggies) and doubled the recipe. The cayenne was sprinkled on each serving to individual tastes. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you both like this Julie!
Absolute delicious! I opted for the half cup of raw cashews and it was really good. I had so much cherry and other small tomatoes from my garden that needed to be used and this recipe was more than welcome. Thank you so so much for all your fabulous recipes.
★★★★★
Thanks, Cindy- glad you liked this one!