Cozy up with a bowl of vegan tomato soup! Made with slow roasted tomatoes, vegan heavy cream, and fresh herbs, this ultra flavorful and creamy classic tomato soup recipe is dairy free. Minimum effort with a maximum flavor payoff!

Bowl of tomato bisque topped with croutons, basil and cheese.

Who doesn't love dipping gooey vegan grilled cheese sandwiches into tomato soup? It's a beloved and nostalgic combination for lunch or dinner for a reason!

Here in Canada, we have long, cold winters so my family craves warming comfort food like soup, vegan chili, served with homemade bread! One of my favorite meals to make on Sunday afternoons is this creamy, slow roasted tomato soup because it tastes so darn amazing, it's wholesome and satisfying; and the whole house smells like an Italian restaurant!

Table of Contents show

Tomato Soup Ingredients

It takes only a few basic ingredients to build the epic flavors in this tomato soup. So gather up these ingredients, and let's get started:

Fresh tomatoes: Tomatoes are the star of this recipe so choose the best tasting tomatoes you can find - fresh or frozen*. Use a variety of tomatoes (eg. cherry, cocktail or roma). Leave small tomatoes whole, cut larger tomatoes in half of quarters.
Vegan heavy cream: Thick, lux vegan cashew cream adds richness and creaminess to tomato soup without any dairy! Plus the fat in the cashews balances out acidity from the tomatoes.
Veggie broth: Bland broth = bland soup! I love Better than Bouillon veggie broth base. Buy the big jar at Costco or online.
Garlic and onions: Slow roasted for maximum flavor.
Seasonings: Lightly season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Plus a pop of flavor from fresh herbs like thyme and basil.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

This homemade, tomato basil soup recipe is vibrant, creamy, thick and delicious as written. However, there's lots of room for you to customize it. Here's a few ideas:

Coconut milk/cream: Use coconut milk/cream instead of vegan heavy cream for another dairy free option. Note: The flavor and texture is slightly different.
Play with herbs: Use a combination of fresh basil, thyme, oregano or rosemary to switch up the flavor and add a fresh, light finish to the soup.
Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or more red pepper flakes for a kiss of heat.
Cheesy: Finish the soup with shredded parmesan or a tablespoon of this shakeable vegan parmesan cheese for a punch of salty, cheese flavor and umami depth.
Butter: My mother, Dorothy, always added a dot of butter to our tomato soup to give it an extra silky richness. Use your favorite non-dairy butter.

Bowl of dairy-free tomato soup topped with a pile of croutons and a sprinkle of grated cheese.

How to Make it!

This is a really simple but impressive vegetarian tomato soup that's very easy to make from scratch. Let's get into the details:

Pan of raw tomatoes and photo of them after roasting.

Start by roasting fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, thyme, olive oil, and S&P in a lasagna-size pan until the tomatoes soften, burst, and release some of their juices.
While the tomatoes are in the oven, make the vegan heavy cream and veggie stock.

Tomato soup in the blender and then being cooked in a soup pot.

Then transfer the veggies to a Vitamix and blend to desired consistency.
Next the tomatoes and vegetable stock go into a Dutch oven or soup pot to simmer.
To add creaminess (and balance the acidity), stir in non-dairy heavy cream.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed; correct consistency with more broth/water.
Let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Stir in a knob of butter for a velvety finish right before serving.
Serve topped with basil ribbons*, homemade croutons, and red pepper flakes.

Expert Tips

Fresh Tomatoes: I freeze bags of tomatoes from our garden in the summer to use all winter long. Money saver!
Blending: Leave a little texture like a vegan tomato bisque or blend longer for a velvety smooth texture more like the Campbell's tomato soup of your youth. Add more broth/water as needed to get the desired consistency.
No blender?: No problem! Use an immersion blender or food processor.
Million Dollar Flavor Tip: Slow roast the tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves to concentrate their flavors and bring out the sweet, savory notes adding incredible depth of flavor to the tomato soup. *Larger tomatoes may take a little longer to cook down, don't rush this step - let the flavor build!

Four photos of basil being cut into ribbons.

*How to cut basil ribbons (aka chiffonade): Basil is a tender herb that bruises easily. So the secret to making pretty basil ribbons is to chiffonade them. It's easy: pile up a small stack of basil leaves, roll them like a cigar then using a sharp knife, slice them into thin strips (ribbons). Voilà they are ready to garnish your tomato soup and other Italian dishes!
Homemade air fryer croutons: If you love crunchy, buttery croutons, make them in an air fryer in 10 minutes! They are cheap, easy, and tasty!

Pot of tomato soup with ladle. Topped with fresh thyme leaves and black pepper.

Ways to Serve

This plant based tomato soup is a satisfying, flavorful meal served with just crackers or a wedge of crusty bread. However, here's a few more suggestions for serving:

Tomato Rice Soup: My favorite! Add a cup or two of cooked rice or cauliflower rice for a heartier soup.
Tomato Pasta Soup: Add some cook macaroni noodles, tortellini or orzo and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Grilled Cheese: Is there a more classic pairing than vegan grilled cheese and tomato soup? Well, maybe soup and salad!
Bold Flavor: Add a swirl of vegan pesto right before serving.

Storing and Reheating Soup

Storing: Store leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container or jar for up to a week. Cool completely before storing.

Reheating: Warm leftover soup in a saucepan over medium-low heat or reheat in the microwave. You'll need to add more water or broth when reheating to thin it out.

Grilled cheese sandwich being dipped into tomato soup.

More Tomato Recipes

If you like to cook with tomatoes, here's some of our favorites using fresh and canned tomatoes:

Easy Marinara Sauce
Vegan Bolognese with lentils and mushrooms
Feta Pasta with cherry tomatoes
Pico De Gallo
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Vegan Lasagna with Bechamel

If you tried this creamy Vegan Tomato Soup or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a rating and review below! Follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more delicious vegan recipes.
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Easy Vegan Tomato Soup

Rich and creamy, this dairy free tomato soup is the best! Serve it silky smooth or leave some texture. The whole family devours this classic cream of tomato soup (vegan version) with a stack of buttery crackers or crispy grilled cheese for dipping.

Author : Tracy Halasz

Servings: servings

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

INGREDIENTS

6 cups cherry tomatoes, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, rough chop
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
4-6 fresh thyme sprigs or leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1-2 cups vegetable broth/stock
½ cup vegan heavy cream
6-10 leaves fresh basil, ribbons (more to taste)
pinch red pepper flakes
croutons for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400º F.
Place tomatoes into a baking dish 11" x 9". Drizzle with olive oil, add garlic cloves, onion, fresh or dry thyme, salt and pepper. Place in the oven to roast for 40 - 45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft, have released their juices and are starting to caramelize.
Meanwhile, make the vegan heavy cream and prepare the vegetable stock (if necessary).
Transfer the roasted tomatoes into a blender and blend until desired consistency adding broth or water as needed.
Pour the blended tomatoes and the veggie stock into a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in ~¼ cup of heavy cream. Simmer for another 10 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
Add more veggie stock to thin the soup, more cashew cream for a creamier tomato bisque, and more salt to enhance the flavors.
Spoon into warm bowls. Top with hot pepper flakes, basil ribbons, vegan parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons.
Make homemade croutons in the air fryer while the tomatoes are roasting! Easiest crunchy, crouton recipe ever!

NOTES

Fresh Tomatoes: Use flavorful tomatoes (eg. cherry, cocktail or romas). If using larger tomatoes, cut half or quarters. Larger tomatoes may take extra time for roasting down.

Veggie Broth: Flavorful broth = flavorful soup. I recommend Better than Bouillon vegetarian soup base.

Another Dairy Free Option: Sub in coconut milk/cream for vegan heavy cream if you prefer. It will change the flavor and texture slightly.

Storage & Reheating: Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 7 days in an airtight container or jar. The soup thickens as it chills. Add more broth or water to thin as needed when reheating.

Homemade Croutons: Make quick air fryer croutons while the tomatoes are roasting.

This recipe is from simplyceecee.co food blog. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.

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Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Ultimate Vegan Tomato Soup (easy + gf)