Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup

Name: Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 pounds vine tomatoes (or regular tomatoes); 1 large head of garlic (top trimmed about 1/4-inch to expose the cloves); 1 large yellow onion (roughly sliced into about 1-inch-wide pieces ); Generous drizzle of olive oil; Salt to taste; 1 15-ounce can butter beans or white beans (drained, and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)); 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (plus more as needed); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar to taste); 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast ((optional)); Handful of fresh basil leaves (, plus more more garnish); Unsweetened oat milk (or canned coconut milk, or vegan cream to taste (optional))

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Vine tomatoes, olive oil, vegetable broth, basil, chopped onion, butter beans, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, and garlic on a marble board.

Ingredients for Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup.

Butter beans are a type of white bean with a creamy, buttery texture that are filling and nutritious. They are a good source of potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc, they also contain calcium and protein. They make this Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup deliciously creamy.
Vine-ripened tomatoes are typically sweeter, more evenly ripened, and more tender than other varieties of tomatoes that have to ripen after you get them home. Oven roasted tomatoes are concentrated and intense in flavor and add umami to this tomato soup.
Basil leaves add a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavor with hints of mint, anise, and pepper.
Roasted garlic is sweet, mellow, nutty, and rich in flavor. It also softens as it roasts, becoming tender and creamy.
Nutritional yeast adds protein, vitamin B₁₂, and a savory flavor that resembles parmesan cheese.

See recipe card for quantities.

🍅 Substitutions

Butter beans - any variety of white beans will work (Great Northern, navy, or cannellini beans)

Vine tomatoes - the vine tomatoes can be replaced with an equal weight of cherry, grape, or regular tomatoes but the soup will be slightly less sweet and more acidic tasting

Fresh basil - instead of fresh basil, use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried

Nutritional yeast - omit as needed

Tomato paste - omit as needed

Spicy - add crushed red pepper while roasting to imbue heat into the dish

For a delicious soup and sandwich combo, try my Vegan Tuna on this site. See my Vegan Soups and Stews page for more easy, healthy and delicious soup recipes.

📖 Instructions

Eight vine tomatoes, chopped onion, and a head of garlic in a white baking dish with olive oil.

Step 1. Transfer the tomatoes, garlic, and onion to a large casserole or baking dish. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt.

Roasted vine tomatoes, chopped onion, and a head of garlic in a white baking dish with olive oil.

Step 2. Roast for 35 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and the onion is golden brown.

Roasted vine tomatoes, onion, garlic, as well as butter beans, nutritional yeast, and basil leaves in a large white saucepan.

Step 3. Transfer the tomatoes and onion to a large nonreactive saucepan, or to a blender. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skin and into the saucepan along with any juice or oil remaining in the baking dish. Add the beans, vegetable broth, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, and basil. Blend using an immersion blender or blender until smooth.

Roasted creamy tomato soup in a white bowl, and in a large white saucepan with a wooden ladle, next to a bowl of crispy croutons.

Step 4. Transfer to a large saucepan if using a blender. Cook over medium-high heat until warmed through, adding more broth, and seasoning as desired. Add oat milk for a creamier texture as needed. Garnish with chiffonade of fresh basil for serving.

💡 Expert Tips

Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a single layer for roasting so that they have space to brown. Overcrowding the baking dish will induce steaming. Browning the veggies adds much more flavor to the soup.

Use a nonreactive saucepan made from a material that will not react with acidic ingredients to warm the soup. Otherwise, the acid in the tomatoes will mix with the metal and result in an unpleasant metallic taste. Stainless steel and enamel cookware are the best options. (Uncoated aluminum and iron are both reactive.)

Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Can I use a food processor to blend the tomato soup?

Yes! A blender, food processor or immersion blender will work.

Why do you put baking soda into tomato soup?

You can use baking soda instead of a sweetener to neutralize the acidity of the soup. When you add baking soda to tomato soup, it neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes. Not only will this make the tomatoes taste less acidic, but it also means that you can now add milk to your soup without risking curdling it.

Why should you not boil tomato soup?

Boiling reduces the flavor in the soup. Instead, simmer your Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup until warmed through.

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