Made with sauteed onions and garlic, canned tomatoes, red bell pepper, fresh basil, and cashews to thicken it, this creamy vegan tomato soup is so flavorful and ready to eat in 45 minutes. What really puts it over the top are the crispy grilled cheese croutons!
This vegan tomato soup is creamy, savory, and topped with crispy grilled cheese croutons! This is what soup dreams are made of! The combination of tomatoes, red bell pepper, cashews, and fresh basil is incredibly flavorful and makes a delicious, cozy meal that everyone will enjoy. The sweetness of the red pepper perfectly balances the acidity in the tomatoes, and the cashews give it a velvety smooth texture that is hard to resist.
This vegan tomato soup recipe is easy to make, it's ready to eat in just 45 minutes, and it can be made on the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This vegan tomato soup with cashews is easy to make with a combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. Let's talk about the most important ingredients and substitutions if you need them.
- Canned Tomatoes - I used canned diced tomatoes for convenience, but you can also use fresh tomatoes. I included instructions on how to do so in the "FAQ" section.
- Red Bell Pepper - The red pepper adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can substitute an orange or yellow pepper, but not green because it will change the overall color and flavor of the soup.
- Cashews - Blended cashews naturally thicken the soup and make it taste extra creamy! If you need to, you can substitute ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, 1 medium peeled and diced russet potato, or ½ cup of canned coconut milk.
- Basil - Use fresh herbs if possible, it adds so much flavor! If you don't have fresh herbs, you can substitute 1 tsp dried basil.
How Do You Make Vegan Tomato Soup From Scratch?
In a large dutch oven, saute the onions until they're soft and translucent (Photo 1). Add the garlic, tomato paste, and dried seasonings and let it cook for a couple of minutes to toast the spices (Photo 2). Pour in the entire can of tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, raw cashews, maple syrup, and vegetable broth (Photo 3).
Cover and let it cook for 20 minutes (Photo 4). Then transfer the mixture to a blender along with the fresh basil and blend until it's smooth and creamy (Photo 5). Pour the soup back into the pot to keep it warm while you make the grilled cheese croutons (Photo 6).
To make the grilled cheese croutons, lay one slice of bread on a plate and top it with 3 slices of vegan cheese and one more slice of bread. Put the sandwich in a press (or in a pan on the stovetop) and press for 5 minutes or until crispy. Take it out of the press and put it back on the plate. Use a knife to slice it into 1-inch by 1-inch squares.
More Cooking Options
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions - Set the Instant Pot to Saute and add ¼ cup broth to the pot. Add the onions and saute until tender, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if it gets too dry. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and dried seasonings and let it cook for 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot and add the diced tomatoes, red peppers, cashews, maple syrup, and broth.
Scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is stuck on. Lock the lid with the valve in the sealing position. Set it for 15 minutes on HIGH pressure. When it beeps, let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes and then flip the switch to vent to release any remaining pressure. Transfer the mixture to a blender with the basil and blend until it's smooth and creamy.
Stovetop Cooking Instructions - In a large slow cooker, add all of the ingredients except the basil and ingredients to make the croutons. Put the lid on and set it to cook on high for 4 hours. Transfer the mixture to a blender along with the basil and blend until it's smooth and creamy.
Serving Suggestions
I like to enjoy a bowl of this vegan creamy tomato soup with a pressed grilled cheese sandwich. You can serve the sandwich cut in half on the side, or you can slice it into 1-inch thick wedges to make dippers. However, my all-time favorite way to serve it is to make the grilled cheese sandwich and then cut it into 1-inch by 1-inch squares and place the squares on top of the soup with a couple of small basil leaves. It's delicious and the grilled cheese croutons are such a fun presentation!
If you're looking for more side dishes to go with the soup, any of the following are great options.
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Lemon Tahini Courgette Salad
- Scalloped Potatoes Florentine
- Salad with Ranch Dressing
How Long Does It Last in the Refrigerator?
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and it should stay fresh for 4-5 days. By the way, leftover vegan tomato soup also makes a delicious pasta sauce. Add 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach to the pasta to switch it up into a new meal.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, it freezes and defrosts perfectly. Put the vegan tomato basil soup in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months for the best quality. Don't freeze the soup with the grilled cheese croutons on top, it's best to make the croutons fresh when you're ready to eat the soup.
How To Reheat It
From the Freezer: Take the container out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. Then you can warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
From the Fridge: Transfer the soup to a bowl, cover it, and reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Or you can warm it in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until it's warmed through.
Notes & FAQ
- How do you thicken tomato soup? This vegan tomato soup recipe uses blended cashews to thicken the texture and make it taste extra creamy.
- Can I use roasted vegetables? Sure. I would roast the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until soft before blending them. It's best to peel the tomatoes first before roasting, but I have made this recipe with unpeeled tomatoes and it turned out just fine because a high-powered blender should be able to puree the tomato skins too.
- Do I have to make the croutons? No, the soup is delicious without the croutons too. The cheesy croutons are optional but they make a delicious presentation!
- What's the best vegan cheese to use? My favorite to use is Violife provolone cheese slices because it melts so well, but I also like Follow Your Heart or Chao slices.
- What vegan bread should I use? I used Ezekiel bread because I like the flavor and that it's sprouted, but there are lots of vegan bread brands.
- Can I use a food processor or immersion blender? A regular blender is the best option because you want the soup to be super smooth and creamy. However, you can use a food processor if you don't have a blender, but the consistency may turn out a little chunky.
- The vegan tomato basil soup by itself is naturally gluten-free and oil-free. If you add the grilled cheese crouton topping, use gluten-free bread if necessary. Most store-bought vegan cheeses are oil-based, so to keep this recipe oil-free, you'll need to make homemade vegan cheese without oil or use a substitute like hummus.
Success Tips
- Fresh basil adds the best flavor, but you can use dried basil in a pinch. Only use the leaves, not the stems. Add it only when blending the ingredients, you don't need to cook the basil with the rest of the ingredients.
- You don't need to soak the raw cashews before adding them to the soup because they're essentially being cooked and softened while the soup is simmering.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Want More Vegan Tomato Recipes?
Vegan Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
Equipment
- 6-Quart Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot
- High-Powered Blender
Ingredients
Vegan Tomato Soup
- 3-4 tbsp vegetable broth (to saute)
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 large red bell pepper diced (seeded and stem removed)
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 10 large fresh basil leaves (1 small bunch)
Grilled Cheese Croutons (makes 3 sandwiches)
- 6 slices vegan bread (I used Ezekial bread)
- 9 slices vegan cheese (I used Violife provolone cheese)
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, saute the sliced onions in 3-4 tbsp vegetable broth until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, ¼ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and let it cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Add the whole can of diced tomatoes (with the juice), 1 tsp maple syrup, diced red pepper, ½ cup raw cashews, and 4 cups vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, cover it, and let it cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and carefully transfer the mixture to a large blender. You may need to do this step in two batches depending on how big your blender cup is. Add the fresh basil leaves to the blender cup too and blend on high until it's smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the soup back into the dutch oven to keep it warm while you make the grilled cheese croutons.
- Place 1 slice of bread on a plate and top it with 3 slices of dairy-free cheese. Put the second slice of bread on top of the cheese and put the sandwich into a press for 5 minutes or until the bread is crispy and the cheese has melted. Slice the sandwich into 1-inch by 1-inch squares and garnish the soup with the croutons. I've found that one sandwich makes enough croutons for 2 bowls.
Notes
- Fresh basil adds the best flavor, but you can use dried basil in a pinch. Only use the leaves, not the stems. Add it only when blending the ingredients, you don't need to cook the basil with the rest of the ingredients.
- You don't need to soak the raw cashews before adding them to the soup because they're essentially being cooked and softened while the soup is simmering.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 5/18/15, but I updated it on 10/12/20.
I made this soup several times during tomato season; it is fabulous!! I also assumed that 'a sliced onion' was what was meant. Once when making this soup I had grilled red and green peppers as leftovers and right before pureeing the soup I added them to the mix. This added yet another layer of flavor. Also found that fresh marjoram works well in the soup and with the cloves. Added a couple of minced garlic cloves too
I'm so happy you liked the recipe! Yes, a sliced onion is correct. Great idea to add fresh marjoram, sounds delicious!
This was incredibly good and easy to make. In fact it was so easy, my winter hobby is going to be to make vegan soups from scratch and freeze them. I did not make the croutons. Try this, it's amazing! Thanks Sracey- looking forward to trying your soup recipes!
Thank you, Cathy! I'm so happy you liked it! I think we're going to have the same hobby LOL
Can we use oatmilk instead?
Sure! Any unsweetened plant milk is fine. Enjoy!
Is there a substitute for the olive oil so that this could be plant based?
Hi, Debbie! Sure, I would substitute extra vegetable broth instead of the oil. Enjoy!
Love it
This looks delicious. I was never really a fan of the pepper flavor, but now that I'm an adult, I've found that my palette has changed to like it more. I'll have to try this.