This vegan tomato soup is fresh and flavorful. It's packed with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian spices. It makes a delicious and simple plant based meal, and you won't believe how easy it is to put together.
Tomato soup is perhaps my all time favorite soup! Okay, I admit it's a toss up between this and my Vegan French Onion Soup.
Tomato soup is one of the most versatile recipes I know. It can be served hot, cold, spicy, mild, and pairs really well with countless other dishes. (Like vegan grilled cheese!)
Not to mention, it's the absolute best soup for pairing with sandwiches, at least in my opinion.
This vegan tomato soup is perfect for making in large batches and freezing for later, making it a great choice for vegan meal prep.
This vegan tomato soup is:
- Warm and comforting!
- 100% plant based
- Made with fresh, ripe tomatoes (no cans required).
- Perfect for a make-ahead meal.
- Totally delicious.
- Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
If you love tomato soup, be sure to also check out this Tomato Chickpea Soup with Tiny Pasta and Fresh Herbs and this Smoky Spanish Tomato Soup.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fresh tomatoes. The star of the show. You'll need about 3½ pounds of ripe vine tomatoes, which is roughly 10 to 12 medium tomatoes. Any ripe, juicy tomato works, including Roma, beefsteak, or a mix of garden tomatoes. See the fresh tomato section below for prep tips, and for how to swap in canned tomatoes when good fresh ones aren't in season.
- Tomato paste. A small can (6 ounces) adds deep, concentrated tomato flavor and a rich red color, and it helps the soup taste full-bodied even when your fresh tomatoes are a little mild. A double-concentrated tube is handy since it keeps well in the fridge once opened.
- Red onion and garlic. These build the savory base. A yellow or sweet onion works fine in place of red onion.
- Vegan butter and flour. Together they make a simple roux that gives the soup its creamy, velvety body. Olive oil can stand in for the vegan butter. For a gluten-free soup, swap the flour for a gluten-free all-purpose blend or thicken with a cornstarch slurry at the end instead.
- Almond milk. Adds creaminess without dairy. Use any unsweetened plant milk, or coconut milk for an even richer soup.
- Vegetable stock. Store-bought is fine; homemade stock gives the best flavor. Choose a low-sodium stock if you want more control over the salt.
- Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Italian seasoning brings a classic herby flavor. The crushed red pepper gives the soup a noticeable kick, so use 1 teaspoon instead of a tablespoon if you prefer it mild.
Making It with Fresh Tomatoes (or Canned)
This recipe is made from scratch with fresh tomatoes, and it's the best way to use a pile of ripe summer tomatoes. Rinse them, cut out the tough core at the stem end, and roughly chop them. There's no need to peel or seed them: the tomatoes simmer until very soft, and blending smooths out the skins completely.
The riper the tomatoes, the better the soup. Deep red, fragrant tomatoes that give slightly when pressed have the most flavor. If yours are a bit pale or watery, simmer the soup an extra 10 minutes to concentrate it, and taste before adding salt. For a sweeter, deeper flavor, you can roast the chopped tomatoes on a sheet pan at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes before adding them to the pot.
No fresh tomatoes? Out of season, two 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes (with their juices) can replace the 3½ pounds of fresh tomatoes. Crush them by hand as you add them, and simmer for about 20 minutes rather than 30, since canned tomatoes are already soft.
How to Make Vegan Tomato Soup
- Make the base - Dice the onions. Saute them with the garlic until softened. Add the butter and flour. Stir in the milk and half the broth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients - Once the mixture starts to thicken, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and remaining broth.
- Simmer - Let the mixture simmer until the tomatoes soften, about 30 minutes.
- Blend and serve - Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until smooth. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
Make it milder - If you don't want any spice in your tomato soup, nix the crushed red peppers, and you're good to go.
Make it thicker - If you like your tomato soup a little thicker, reduce the stock by about half a cup. You can also make a cornstarch slurry, and stir in into the soup to help with thickening.
Make it thinner - If your soup has turned out too thick, simply add a bit more vegetable stock, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Water or more milk will work as well.
Use fresh herbs - If you don't want to use dried Italian seasoning, you can always use some fresh herbs instead. Basil is a perfect match for tomato soup.
Blend it safely - Hot soup expands in a blender, so fill the jar no more than halfway, remove the center cap from the lid, and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel while you blend. An immersion blender skips the transfer altogether and lets you purée the soup right in the pot.
Top it with a dash of cream - I love garnishing the top of my tomato soup with a drizzle of warmed coconut cream. It makes a pretty white swirl, for a gorgeous presentation. It also helps cool the soup down quicker, so it's ready to eat right away. Coconut cream (like this one), works better for this purpose than regular coconut milk.
Make it heartier - Stir in a can of drained chickpeas or white beans after blending, or add a handful of small pasta or cheese-free tortellini, as in this Fresh Tomato and Tortellini Soup.
Serving Ideas
Tomato soup and grilled cheese is a classic for a reason, and it's just as good made vegan. Dunk a crispy, melty sandwich from our Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 5 Ways into a big mug of this soup for the ultimate cozy lunch.
Homemade croutons are another easy win. Toss cubes of day-old crusty bread with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a little garlic powder or Italian seasoning, then bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and crunchy. Scatter them over each bowl right before serving so they stay crisp. A swirl of coconut cream, a few torn basil leaves, and a pinch of crushed red pepper finish it off.
For a fuller meal, serve it with a green salad and warm vegan biscuits or a wedge of vegan cornbread. Smaller cups of the soup also make a nice starter before a pasta dinner.
Storing & Freezing
Let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. It thickens a little as it sits, so thin it with a splash of vegetable stock or plant milk when you reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Keep any croutons or garnishes separate until serving.
This soup freezes beautifully. Portion the cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving about an inch of headspace for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stove, whisking well, since the texture can separate slightly after freezing. A quick whisk or a few seconds with an immersion blender brings it right back to smooth.
FAQs
Keep the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the microwave or over the stove in a small pot. If reheating from frozen, the soup can be left out to thaw a couple hours before dinner, for quicker heating times.
I have never had to peel my tomatoes for any soup I've ever made. This homemade tomato soup recipe is very easy, which means you won't be stuck peeling just shy of four pounds of tomatoes.
Although I love cooking, I would never make a recipe that involved something so tedious and time consuming!
Well, it depends on the recipe! But more often than not, tomato soup recipes are pretty healthy when homemade. As far as canned or store bought soups go, the sodium can get pretty crazy along with a lot of processed ingredients. So homemade is best - and it's very simple to make.
More Vegan Soups
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more soups you might enjoy:
- Vegan Cream of Tomato Soup
- Vegan French Onion Soup
- Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Tomato-Barley Vegetable Soup
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Cozy Vegan Soups for Fall and Winter
Recipe
Vegan Tomato Soup
Equipment
- Blender - Traditional or Immersion
Ingredients
- ½ Red Onion large, diced
- 5 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon Vegan Butter or olive oil
- ⅓ Cup Flour all purpose
- 3.5 Pounds Vine Ripened Tomatoes about 10-12 medium, cored and chopped (see notes for canned)
- 2 Cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 Cup Almond Milk or coconut milk
- ¾ Cup Tomato Paste 6 oz
- 1 tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper use 1 teaspoon for a milder soup
- 2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- fresh basil optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion has softened.
- Add the vegan butter and let it melt, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir for about 1 minute, until the flour has soaked up the fat and no dry flour remains.
- Slowly stir in half of the vegetable stock and all of the almond milk. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Add the remaining stock, chopped fresh tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very soft.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender right in the pot, or carefully blend in batches in a countertop blender (fill it no more than halfway and vent the lid). Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with fresh basil, if desired. Enjoy!
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