This satisfying vegan tomato soup is creamy and delicious. Made with canned tomatoes and other items normally stocked in one’s pantry, this recipe is easy to prepare and thoroughly comforting.
One cold afternoon, several years ago, I was tired. It had been a long day, and I didn’t take the time to pull anything out from the freezer to thaw for dinner the night before. Soup sounded like a wonderful idea, so I started going through my pantry.
Vegan Tomato Soup
I almost always have canned tomatoes and chicken stock on hand, so one of my girls suggested I make tomato soup to have along with our sandwiches made from my Artisan Gluten-Free Bread. Sounded like a perfect idea to me!
How to make vegan tomato soup:
- Use a heavy bottomed-pan, or a Dutch oven to make your soup in. I have 2 different brands of enameled cast iron Dutch ovens: an Amazon Basics 6 quart, and a Tramontina 5.5 quart. For the price, I think both are worth it.
- Melt the vegan butter and cook the onions and garlic until soft, add the basil and stir until fragrant.
- Add the canned crushed tomatoes with basil, and vegetable broth. Sweeten to taste using coconut sugar; this will help balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth (be careful, it will be hot!).
- Stir in canned coconut milk, and season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Best tomato soup recipe substitutions:
Vegan Butter- Alternately, you can use ghee, butter, or coconut oil.
Garlic- Simply omit the garlic if you don’t tolerate it.
Vegetable Broth- Substitute with chicken broth (if not vegan).
Coconut Sugar- You can also use organic cane sugar, brown sugar, or palm sugar.
Canned Coconut Milk- If you are dairy-free, cashew cream may work or an unflavored dairy-free coffee creamer (although I haven’t tried either in this recipe). If you are not dairy-free, try half and half, heavy cream, or whole milk.
Immersion Blender vs. Countertop Blender
Immersion blenders are handheld stick blenders used to blend food in the container they were prepared in. They are easy to use, easy to clean, and bypass getting another container (like the jar of a countertop blender) dirty. I use mine mostly for gluten-free soup (like my Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup), or for pureeing my girl’s favorite Instant Pot Refried Beans.
I own this Cuisinart immersion blender.
A countertop blender will absolutely work for blending this dairy free tomato soup, just be careful transferring the hot liquid to the blender jar. Only fill the jar up half way, and always place the lid on the blender jar before blending. Otherwise the hot liquid may spray out and possibly burn.
Vegan Tomato Soup
This satisfying vegan tomato soup is creamy and delicious. Made with canned tomatoes and other items normally stocked in one’s pantry, this recipe is easy to prepare and thoroughly comforting.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or olive oil, or coconut oil)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes with basil
- 5 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for non-vegan)
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup full fat canned coconut milk
- sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and dried basil and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the crusted tomatoes with basil, vegetable broth, and coconut sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Removed from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Stir in canned coconut milk, and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Vegan Butter- Alternately, you can use ghee, butter, or coconut oil.
Garlic- Simply omit the garlic if you don’t tolerate it.
Vegetable Broth- Substitute with chicken broth (if not vegan).
Coconut Sugar- You can also use organic cane sugar, brown sugar, or palm sugar.
Canned Coconut Milk- If you are dairy-free, cashew cream may work or an unflavored dairy-free coffee creamer (although I haven’t tried either in this recipe). If you are not dairy-free, try half and half, heavy cream, or whole milk.
Recommended Products
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
-
Aroy-d Coconut Milk -
Nutiva USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO, Unrefined Granulated Coconut Sugar, 1-pound (Pack of 3) -
Swanson Organic Broth, Vegetable, 32 oz. Resealable Carton (Pack of 12) -
Muir Glen Canned Tomatoes, Organic Crushed Tomatoes with Basil, No Sugar Added, 28 Ounce Can (Pack of 12) -
Cuisinart CSB-75FR Smart Stick Hand Blender (Renewed), White -
AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, White
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Vicky says
I LOVE tomato soup, there's nothing lazy about this - it looks perfect!
Megan says
Thank you, Vicky!
xoxo
Cassidy @ Cassidy's Craveable Creations says
YUM! I've wanted to make tomato soup for a long time but just never gotten around to it. This looks easy and delicious 🙂
Megan says
I know what you mean, Cassidy! 😉 Thank you!
xoxo
Connie says
So, I shouldn't use the coconut milk I make myself? So glad to have a tomato soup recipe I can eat though, thank you!!!
Megan says
Hi Connie,
You're welcome! 😉 No, you probably don't want to use your homemade coconut milk. This recipe uses the canned coconut milk because it's thick and adds just the right amount of "finishing cream" without the dairy!
Megan
Connie says
Ok, that's what I thought, thank you for your prompt reply! I love your recipes!
Megan says
Thank you so much!
Andrea says
Do you think using stewed tomatoes would work as well?
Megan says
I think stewed tomatoes are more intense in flavor, so I wouldn't recommend using them.
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Yummy and you made it pretty, too! If I had my way, every recipe I make would legitimately be called "lazy." Good food doesn't have to take tons of time or be complicated. 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Megan says
HA! Thank you, Shirley. 😉 I totally agree... love those "lazy" uncomplicated meals. Sometimes they are even more tasty than the complicated ones!
xoxo,
M
amber says
This is a great recipe, Megan! And I totally know what you mean about cooking all day and then exhausted by dinner! It takes serious motivation to cook dinner every night. But I find it's fun to cook and experiment with things during the day - the energy is not coming from the same place, you know.
Gorgeous pictures! And I love tomato soup. Just lovely.
xoxo,
--Am
Katie @ Produce on Parade says
Hah! I just made tomato soup on the 16th! Nice recipe! 🙂
Laura O says
Hi Megan! I love this! I'm totally with you trying to find shortcuts at the end of the day. I have some "lazy" soups too. LOL about nails and Bon bons.
Angela Parker says
You had me at Lazy Mom... haha. This recipe sounds perfect! I can't wait to try it with some grain free grilled cheese sandwiches. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Amanda says
I'm getting ready to make this tonight for the 2nd time, it is so delicious and so easy! I make sure now that I keep cans of the tomatoes on hand so I can whip up a batch when were short on time for dinner. Thank you for these great recipes!
Megan says
You bet!! I'm so happy you enjoy them - and this recipe! 😉
Alia says
Oh my goodness, this is just what a Chiberia-dwelling PhD student needs to have on hand in huge vats to get through the winter! Now that I have experienced the culinary ease and joy of your pie crust recipe, I have the utmost faith in everything you post. Do you suppose this soup will freeze well?
Also, I'm so glad you posted a link to the chicken broth you use. My husband and I have had an impossible time finding chicken stock that doesn't induce a glutening reaction, but I see that, as this one doesn't contain some unnamed 'spices' as an ingredient, Pacific Organic has probably done a good job of minimizing the risk of cross-contamination. Time to stock up!
Megan says
Hi again, Alia! I think this soup would freeze great. I haven't tried it myself, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't.
Glad the link to the broth was helpful! I normally make my own stock, but that brand is nice to have on hand when I run out of my homemade supply. 😉
Megan
Jodi says
You work too hard, Megan! Thanks for the recipes! Kick back with a glass of wine sometime. 😉
Megan says
😉 Thanks, Jodi! I will do that!
Tammy says
Megan, I just made this for our lunch for the next few days. All I can say is wow! Thank you for another great recipe!
Megan says
You're so welcome, Tammy!! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 😉
MH says
It's not dairy-free if it's made with ghee.. you might want to clarify that, since it's not clear from the recipe what choice(s) would change it from dairy-free to dairy-filled.
Rene says
If one is allergic to coconut as well as dairy, what would you suggest instead of the canned coconut milk?
Amber says
how do you think it would taste without a sweetener?
Mēgan says
Hi Amber, it will be tart. The sweetner balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. I don't know if I personally could enjoy it without the sweetener, but it all just depends on your tastes and preferences!