Easy Vegan Tomato Soup Recipe - Yup, it's Vegan (2024)

December 16, 2019 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 7 Comments

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This creamy vegan tomato soup is made with only 9 everyday ingredients but big on flavor!

After sharing a rather not-simple vegan cheese ball last week, I wanted to follow it up with something way more simple and this delicious vegan tomato soup recipe fits the bill!

Even though it’s a dairy-free version of a classic, it’s one of the best tomato basil soup recipes that I’ve had.

There are a couple of keys to make your creamy non-dairy tomato soup a success:

Use good quality ingredients if possible. I know it might seem ridiculous, but for a recipe made mostly of tomato, it is well worth it to splurge on the “fancy” Italian imported canned tomatoes. They have a genuine difference in flavor and it is noticeable in this soup.
If using fresh tomatoes, use a juicy, sweet variety such as cherry tomatoes.
Don’t skimp on the olive oil; it is necessary for both flavor and texture.
Use an immersion blender or a high-powered blender like a Vitamix for the most ethereally creamy texture to your vegan tomato soup.

What are some things that you’ll NOT find in this recipe? Coconut milk, for one. I didn’t want the strong flavor of coconut competing with the delicate tomatoes and so I turned to my old trick for making creamy tomato dishes without needing ANY non-dairy milk.

When I shared my recipe for roasted tomato sauce, I talked about how the olive oil and garlic, when blended, form an emulsion that makes the sauce creamy. In this soup, we use the same culinary properties to create a light but creamy, silky-smooth soup.

Vegan Tomato Soup

I'm a tomato fanatic and I think this is the best vegan tomato soup around! Made with simple ingredients to highlight the tomato flavor and no added sugar.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 white or yellow onion diced
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt, and cook it for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper, and cook for about 60 seconds more, until fragrant. Immediately add the wine and stir.
After the wine starts to bubble, stir in the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly reduced and richer in flavor. This simmering time is what will tame the acidity of the tomatoes and build more natural sweetness.
Remove from the heat, stir in the fresh basil, and use an immersion blender to blend the whole thing until smooth (or leave a few chunks here and there, if you like); or, transfer to a blender and blend, in batches if needed. Season to taste with salt.

Video

Notes

TOMATOES: Use a quality canned tomato with little or no additives. It is important to use crushed tomatoes, not diced or whole, in order to get the smoothest texture out of your soup. The brand I like to use is called Cento. It costs about a dollar more and is very worth it for this recipe.

OTHER VEGGIES: I'll turn the other cheek if you want to adulterate your vegan tomato soup with random vegetables. That said, to give this more of a vegetable soup flavor and more natural sweetness, try adding some diced celery and carrot along with the onion.

ACIDITY/SWEETNESS: Depending on your tomatoes and how long you're able to cook the soup, it may be more acidic than you would like. A small amount of maple syrup or brown sugar is the perfect antidote. You can also add tomato paste to deepen the tomato flavor.

Nutrition

Adapted from my Tomato Basil Gnocchi Soup.