Dairy-Free Tomato Basil Soup

Made with sauteed onions and garlic, canned tomatoes, red bell pepper, fresh basil, and cashews to thicken it, this creamy dairy-free 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 dairy-free tomato soup is creamy, savory, and topped with crispy grilled cheese croutons! It's what soup dreams are made of!

The combination of tomatoes, red pepper, cashews, and 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 creamy, velvety smooth texture that is definitely a crowd-pleaser.

This dairy-free soup is easy to make, it's ready to eat in less than 1 hour, and it can be made on the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

This soup is made with canned tomatoes, some fresh ingredients, and pantry staples. Let's go over the important ingredients and substitutions if you need them. 

• Onion - I used a yellow onion, but a white or sweet onion could also be used.
• Garlic - Fresh garlic is my go-to, but you can also use dried garlic. Start with 1 teaspoon and use more to taste.
• Tomato Paste - This really deepens the tomato flavor! This is the tomato paste that I always use because it's organic and in a glass jar.
• Dried Seasonings - Oregano, salt, and pepper give so much flavor!
• Tomatoes - I used canned tomatoes because it's convenient, but you can also use 2 lbs of fresh tomatoes.
• Pepper - A red bell pepper has 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. 
• Maple Syrup - A little bit of sweetness is necessary to balance the acidity from the tomatoes. You could also use agave or date syrup.
• Vegetable Broth - I used vegetable broth, but mushroom broth could also be used.
• Basil - Use fresh basil if possible, it gives so much flavor! If you don't have it, you can substitute 1 tsp dried basil. 

How To Make It 

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 bell pepper, raw cashews, maple syrup, and vegetable broth (Photo 3). Cover and let it cook for 20 min (Photo 4). Take it off the heat and let it cool down for 10 min.

Transfer the mixture to a blender (Please follow the directions in the recipe card to safely blend the soup) along with the basil and blend on low in small batches until it's smooth and creamy (Photo 5).

Pour the soup into a large bowl and when you're done with all of the batches, pour all of the soup back into the pot to keep it warm while you make the grilled cheese (Photo 6). 

Instant Pot Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Saute and add ¼ cup broth or some oil to the pot. Add the onions and saute until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and dried seasonings and let it cook for 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in 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. Then follow the recipe card instructions to puree it.

Slow Cooker Instructions

In a large slow cooker, place 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. Then follow the recipe card instructions to puree it.

Recipe Variations

• Pasta - Use the tomato soup as a dairy-free pasta sauce! It's thick and creamy and perfectly coats your favorite noodles. Add 3-4 big handfuls of fresh spinach, roasted broccoli, and some white beans to make it a balanced meal.
• Plant-Based Protein - Stir ½ cup of red lentils + 1 cup extra broth to the soup when you pour in the tomatoes to give this recipe a boost of plant-based protein.
• Spaghettios - I often put these small circular noodles in the tomato soup to make a dairy-free version of spaghettios!

What Goes With It

I like to serve a bowl of this dairy-free tomato soup with some type of grilled cheese. Whether the sandwich is just cut in half on the side, sliced into 1-inch thick wedges to make dippers, or cut into 1 x 1 inch squares and placed on top like croutons...it's up to you! All options are delicious!

If you're looking for more side dishes to serve with the tomato soup, any of the following are great options.

• Creamy Broccoli Salad
• Lemon Tahini Courgette Salad
• Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes Florentine
• Salad with Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

How To Store It

Store the leftover dairy-free tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or you can freeze it for 2-3 months.

When you're ready for it, 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. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Success Tips

• You don't need to soak the cashews before adding them to the soup because they're essentially being cooked and softened while the soup is simmering. 
• A blender is the best appliance to use to blend the soup because it makes the soup super creamy. However, you can also use a food processor or stick blender, but the consistency may not be as smooth. 
• Be extremely careful when blending hot soup. Do not blend hot, boiling, or bubbling soup. The heat building up in the blender cup can cause the top to blow off and spew hot soup everywhere. Take precautions like letting the soup cool down for 10 minutes, only filling the cup up one-third full, venting the lid, blending on low, and working in small batches. Learn how to blend soup safely, here and here.
• After you stir in the tomato paste, I like to portion the rest out into an ice cube tray so none of the jar goes to waste. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a reusable bag and keep it in the freezer until you need it. It works like a charm!

Want More Dairy-Free Tomato Recipes?

• Dairy-Free Cilantro Lime Tomato Salsa
• Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
• Dairy-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
• Dairy-Free Taco Tofu Stuffed Tomatoes
• Dairy-Free Tortellini Soup
• Dairy-Free Dutch Oven Chili