Learn how to make THE BEST homemade creamy vegan tomato soup. Rich roasted tomatoes blended with cashews make this soup a luxurious indulgence.
If you like this Vegan Tomato Soup recipe try these Vegan Brussels Sprouts Enchiladas or this Vegan Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe.
This easy soup recipe uses canned tomatoes and raw cashews for a rich tomato soup so luscious and smooth that you might wonder how it could be done without heavy cream. Fear not my vegan friends, no dairy shall pass through this bowl today. This is the ultimate healthy vegan comfort food to warm your bones and soothe your soul on a cold day.
Really…Is anything more comforting than a rich bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day, and who doesn't love a warm bowl of creamy tomato soup? This is one of my all-time favorite soup recipes and comes from my personal chef archives! i.e. I've made this recipe dozens and dozens and dozens of times.
There is nothing worse than a bowl of tomato soup that tastes like a bowl of marinara sauce, that is NOT this recipe. Tomato soup should be less acidic, sweeter, and have a pleasing creamy texture. In this recipe, I share my top tips and the basic steps for making ‘perfect every time', ‘best ever', vegan creamy tomato soup!
Raw cashews make this Vegan Tomato Soup unbelievably creamy and roasting canned tomatoes adds a soulful depth of flavor. Try this vegan version of cream-of-tomato-soup the next time you need a soup recipe to satisfy all dietary demands. The best part, it will even satisfy the dairy-lovers with its cashew creaminess.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This is a plant-inspired version of your favorite childhood soup.
- This recipe has the added nutrition from cashews which brings next level protein and minerals to the party.
- This recipe also includes the technique of roasting canned tomatoes. This method creates another layer of flavor and can be used in other sauce or soup recipes.
- Comfort food at it's absolute healthy best!
- Simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
Let's Get Cooking!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
Canned Tomatoes– In this recipe, I used canned diced tomatoes. Some brands that I love are Muir Glen, Pomi Organic, and Mutti. There is a significant difference in the quality of canned tomatoes. The best varieties have less acidity and minimal processing and added ingredients. Real San Marzano tomatoes are a good baseline for an optimal tomato taste profile. They have a rich taste and a great balance of acid and sugar.
Carrots– Carrots add a sweetness to this tomato soup so you want carrots that have some flavor. Farmers' market carrots that are pulled from the soil are sweeter and more nutrient-dense. Second to that variety, I would recommend a good organic bag of carrots. Not the finger-shaped variety that you dip in hummus, the real need-to-peel variety.
Onion & Garlic– I make it a practice each week of buying a variety of onion and garlic-like vegetables. Leeks, shallots, purple onion, garlic scapes, scallions, a combination of any of the above will bring that savory flavor to your soups and stews.
Vegetable Stock– I am a big fan of Pacific Foods organic vegetable stock. I find that it has a good flavor without overwhelming the dish. Many varieties of bouillon exist, including vegetable, which dilute and make water into a quick and easy stock. I would recommend though, making a cup of that bouillon and tasting it. Some of the varieties have a flavor that is unappealing and will take over your soup.
Raw Cashews– These nuts are a powerhouse whole food ingredient. As in this soup, they can make a dish beautifully creamy. A super budget-saving tip is to buy raw cashew pieces from the bulk bin. They are considerably cheaper than whole cashews and because you are blitzing them, their shape does not matter. You can use cashew pieces to make homemade cashew milk as well.
Olive Oil- You want an olive oil that you like the taste of in your pantry. Perhaps, buy a few and do a tasting. You can also use any neutral oil in this recipe like avocado oil.
Tools You will Use
- High Speed Blender or Immersion Blender
- Sheet Pan or Baking Dish
- Soup Pot
- A Good Knife
- A Cutting Board
- A Vegetable Peeler
- Measuring Cups
How to Make the Best Ever Vegan Tomato Soup
How to Make the Best Ever Vegan Tomato SoupSTEP ONE: SOAK CASHEWS
Soak raw cashews in cold water for 1/2 hour before preparing soup. (You want to cover the cashews in the water to soak)
STEP TWO: ROAST TOMATOES
Strain the liquid from the diced tomatoes over a bowl. Reserve the liquid. Spread the tomatoes out on a sheet pan.
Drizzle 1/2 cup olive oil over tomatoes and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Roast in a 450° oven for 15 minutes.
STEP THREE: MAKE THE SOUP!
Warm a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium-low.
Sauté onion, carrots, garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and the flavors combine.
Add in reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, bay leaves, and roasted tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes.
STEP FOUR: BLEND AND SERVE
Remove soup from heat and ladle it into a high-speed blender canister. You will most likely have to do this in batches. Drain cashews and add to blender. Blend soup on high until creamy and smooth. Pour into serving vessel. Repeat with remaining soup ingredients. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve soup warm with a garnish of fresh snipped chives.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can easily turn this recipe into tomato basil soup by adding a handful of fresh basil leaves into the blender. Garnish the soup with additional torn basil leaves.
Yes, you need a blender for this soup. You will be blending soaked cashews into the soup at the end to make it super creamy.
To make this soup nut-free you can eliminate the cashews from the recipe and then replace them with coconut milk. You will have a wonderfully creamy soup without the use of nuts.
Helpful Tip
- The Acidity of the tomatoes makes a difference. Find the brand that suits your taste best. I find that better quality tomatoes have a better balance of acidity and sweetness that allows the best tomato flavor to shine through.
Storage/Reheating/Freezing Instructions
- You can freeze vegan tomato soup for up to three months in a freezer-safe container.
- Store vegan tomato soup in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat vegan tomato soup in a saucepan over medium heat until warm.
Dietary Modifications For This Recipe
This recipe is Gluten-free, whole 30, paleo, vegetarian and vegan.
- Low Fodmap-Replace garlic and onion with green onion tops and also eliminate the cashews and use 1/2 cup coconut milk instead.
I can’t wait for you to try this Vegan Tomato Soup Recipe! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
VEGAN TOMATO SOUP
Ingredients
- 26 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra for soup pot
- 3 small bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste
- fresh chives for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the over to 450° degrees.
- Soak raw cashews in cold water for 1/2 hour before preparing soup. (You want to cover the cashews in the water to soak)
- Strain the liquid from the diced tomatoes over a bowl. Reserve the liquid. Spread the tomatoes out on a sheet pan.
- Drizzle 1/2 cup olive oil over tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Warm a soup pot over medium high heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium low.
- Sauté onion, carrots, garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and the flavors combine.
- Add in reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, bay leaves and roasted tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove soup from heat and ladle into a high-speed blender canister. You will most likely have to do this in batches. Drain cashews and add to blender. Blend soup of high until creamy and smooth. Pour into serving vessel. Repeat with remaining soup ingredients. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve soup warm with a garnish of fresh snipped chives.
Notes
Nutrition
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