Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (Vegan, Paleo, Whole30)

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – You’d never guess that this creamy roasted tomato soup is vegan! It’s full of deep, rich tomato basil flavor and a gorgeous velvety texture you’ll fall for over and over again. (Vegan, Paleo + Whole30)

Oh, friends, this creamy tomato basil soup has been a favorite at our house for ten(!!!) years.

It’s the tomato soup recipe that made Michael a tomato soup convert. He always thought he hated tomato soup, but it was really just the canned, condensed stuff he was never a fan of. He requests this several times a year and loves bringing the leftovers with him to work for lunches. I really–REALLY–miss a gooey grilled cheese (especially a nice fancy one like this) to dip into this soup, but I must say, there are few things cozier than tucking your legs up under you with a steaming mug of this soup on a chilly day.

Tomato basil soup is perfect for the abundance of those end-of-the-season tomatoes in summer, but is also a great way to revive some of the sad winter tomatoes you can find in November and December. Slow-roasting the tomatoes really plays to their strengths–caramelizing the edges, developing the rich natural sweetness, and softening some of the tang. Paired with lots of fresh basil and blitzed to velvety perfection, this soup is something special.

Here’s how we make our roasted tomato basil soup (it’s SUPER easy)…

HERE’S WHAT WE PUT IN OUR VEGAN TOMATO BASIL SOUP

• HALVED TOMATOES. We’re slow-roasting the tomatoes for our tomato basil soup recipe, so it’s okay if they’re only average getting started. Even a winter tomato will get a delicious, deep roasted flavor that’ll taste amazing. You can use whatever tomatoes look best–vine-ripened, campari, Roma, etc.
• ONION. Along with the halved tomatoes, we roast an onion to go into the soup. I love the sweetness that develops and the gorgeous caramelized edges that come from the roasting process. I usually use a sweet onion, but white onions also work.
• SOME SIMPLE SEASONINGS. To help our veggies roast, I add some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the tomatoes and onion are roasted and tender, we’ll add a clove of minced garlic for a little depth. Then, we really kick things up a notch with…
• FRESH BASIL. Lots of fresh basil goes into this tomato basil soup recipe. It’s bright and adds so much flavor to keep this from feeling too heavy. You’ll puree most of it directly into the soup, but I like to save a little bit out to garnish at the end.
• BROTH. We most often use veggie broth (this is my favorite), but if you’re not vegan/vegetarian, you can feel free to use a good chicken broth or bone broth.

CHANGE IT UP! HERE ARE A FEW FUN WAYS TO SERVE TOMATO BASIL SOUP:

• WITH A YUMMY SANDWICH. Classic grilled cheese (or grilled vegan cheese) or something a bit more fun like this Pesto Grilled Sandwich.
• ADD SOME ORZO, RICE, OR PASTA! It’s fun to stir in a bit of cooked orzo (this kind’s gluten free!), small cooked pasta, or cooked rice for a change of pace.
• PAIR WITH A YUMMY SALAD! Soup + salad are best friends. I love this Fall Chopped Salad, BLT Salad, or Italian Chopped Salad.
• ADD SOME WARM BREAD. I love this gluten free rosemary focaccia. It’s a delicious pairing next to a warm cup of dairy-free tomato basil soup!

FAQ + TIPS FOR PERFECT CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

HOW TO GET THE SMOOTHEST TOMATO BASIL SOUP. For an extra smooth tomato soup, I like using my Blendtec so it’s flawlessly smooth, but we also sometimes make it with an immersion blender, which also does the trick. I love how wonderfully rich and smooth it feels, and Sophie and Milo really appreciate not seeing any mysterious pieces floating about.

CAN I USE DRIED BASIL? I *much* prefer fresh basil for tomato basil soup, but recognize you may not always be able to find it. If you need to use dried, you’ll only want to add a few teaspoons (start with 2). Or, you can add basil flavor if you…

TRY FLAVORED OLIVE OIL! I love kicking this up a notch by using basil olive oil. This one is my absolute favorite. (use code “onelovelylife” for 10% off your first order)

CAN YOU FREEZE TOMATO SOUP? Yes! This vegan tomato basil soup can be frozen. Simply put it into an airtight freezer safe container or bag and freeze. I prefer using freezer bags and pressing any extra air out so I can store them flat in my freezer. If you use a bowl/food storage container instead of a bag, be sure to leave at least 1″ of room at the top to allow for expansion.

I’M NOT VEGAN. CAN I ADD CREAM? You can. In our dairy-eating days, I’d add 1/2-1 cup of cream to this soup when pureeing. For a dairy-free version, you can also use a bit of cashew cream if you like.

ADD SOME KICK. If you like a little heat, you can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few drops of chili oil to the tomato basil soup when pureeing or heating it.

HELPFUL TOOLS & INGREDIENTS FOR THIS ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP RECIPE: 

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