This Vegan Tomato Basil Soup is so satisfying and lovely. As fall is sneaking up on us, I’m ready to make soups again and tomato basil is my absolute favorite. So get cozy and enjoy this soup with some toasted sourdough for a really wholesome meal.
This recipe is vegan, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and refined sugar-free.
Want More Soup Recipes?
If you’re interested in another fall soup recipe, check out my Roasted Squash Soup (Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free). Along with my Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Candied Pumpkin Seeds and my Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe (Gluten Free + Dairy Free).
Secret to a Good Tomato Basil Soup
The secret to a good tomato soup is to use vine-ripened tomatoes for a really developed flavor. You can use home grown tomatoes but can also get them from a fruit/vegetable stand or farmers market. Look for a darker red color and a little bit of a softness that comes when it’s ripe.
I also added carrots to this recipe because they bring a great texture and sweetness to this soup that I love.
Want to Skip Roasting Step?
When all the veggies are roasted, the flavors bloom in the best way, so even though you can skip this step, I don’t recommend it.
To skip the roasting step, add the onion (chopped instead) and garlic (minced instead) to the pot with oil and sweat for 5 minutes or so. Next, add the chopped carrots and halved tomatoes to the pot and cook until carrots are soft. You can also substitute two 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes for the fresh ones if you prefer.
Can I Use Canned Tomatoes?
Yes, you can use two 14.5 ounce cans in place of the fresh tomatoes, just don’t roast the canned tomatoes. After roasting the onions, carrots and garlic cloves, add them all to your blender along with the canned tomatoes and blend until almost smooth.
Why Add the Basil After Blending?
I chose to blend the soup before adding the basil in order to keep the color from changing. You can add everything before blending the soup if you want it completely smooth, but keep in mind that blending the basil will tint your soup green.
Vegan Tomato Basil Soup (GF + DF)
Author: Adrianne
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 10-12 Roma tomatoes (vine-ripened will taste best) (halved)
- 1 medium yellow onion (cut into wedges)
- 2 medium carrots (cut into 1 inch chunks)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (divided)
- 1 3/4-2 cups vegetable broth (start with less then add more for desired consistency)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (tightly packed)
- 1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (I used full fat)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place halved tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped carrots and whole garlic cloves in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon cumin to vegetables and mix to coat each piece. To a large baking tray, transfer veggies and spread them out evenly across the tray. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the edges of your tomatoes and onions start charring bit.
- Remove tray from oven and transfer veggies (in two batches) to a high power blender along with broth. Blend on high until almost smooth (or desired texture) then transfer to a pot on stovetop on low-medium heat. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup in your pot instead.
- To blended soup, add 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), chopped basil leaves and coconut milk. Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes (cover partly with a lid to avoid mess) stirring occasionally. Simmering will allow the flavors to melt together and turn the soup a darker color, so don’t skip this step.
- Serve warm along with toasted sourdough or gluten-free bread.
