This is my vegan tomato soup recipe loaded with flavor, that comes together quite easily. Tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and onions are all that you need, seasoned with garlic, smokey red chillies, and basil.
It’s deliciously rich in flavor and so velvety making it incredibly satisfying and comforting. There’s just something about a hearty, piping hot bowl of tomato soup, especially during winter. I could eat this every single day.
Ingredients:
Serves 4-6
5 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 whole roasted red pepper (I just used Trader Joe’s organic brand from a bottle)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp dried basil
8 cloves garlic, rough chopped
4 dried red chillies, whole (soak in warm water for 15 minutes)
6-7 cups of water (you could also use your favorite vegan broth)
2 tbsp coarse kosher salt (use according to the kind of salt you use)
1/2 tsp coconut palm sugar (you could use any kind of sugar/sweetener you have)
2-3 tbsp light olive oil
For garnish: some fresh basil, parsley, and garlic infused extra virgin olive oil (my favorite Trader Joe’s condiment in my pantry!)
Method:
I adore my cast iron pot for simmering soups, and that’s what I used here. You could also use a regular soup pot, just make sure they are heavy bottomed.
Add measured light olive oil and the chopped garlic to your cooking pot. Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts slightly browning. Add in chopped onions and dried basil. Saute for about 7-8 minutes until the onions soften. Add tomato paste, and mix together thoroughly. Let this cook for another 3-4 minutes which intensifies the tomato paste flavor. Make sure you keep stirring so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Throw in the red peppers, and the red chillies with the water they’re soaking in. Toss together and let cook for a minute.
Add all the chopped tomatoes, and the measured sugar and salt. The pinch of sugar is a great way to bring balance to this soup, and cut the acidity. Toss together and let this mixture cook for 5 minutes. Once the tomatoes just start softening, add in all the measured water. I used about 6 cups which lended perfect thickness and consistency to the soup. It’s better to add less, as we can always add a bit more later if necessary.
Bring this mixture to boil on high heat, this will take about 10 minutes. Drop the heat back to medium making sure the soup is simmering gently. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let this cool down for at least 20 minutes.
Carefully transfer the soup contents to a blender. I used the vitamix (you could use any high powered blender) which I find is the key to the dairy-free creaminess in a soup.
I batch processed the blending so not to over stuff the blender. I did it in three batches. Pour the soup back into the pot, and bring back to a simmer over medium heat.
Check for seasonings. Now is the time to adjust for salt, and water. Once done, turn off heat, garnish with fresh basil and/or parsley, and a few drizzles of garlicky extra virgin olive oil.
Serve a generous piping hot bowl of this decadence and enjoy!
