15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (2024)

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This soup gets a rich, creamy texture from the emulsion of olive oil and bread.

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated August 17, 2022

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15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • This recipe uses pantry staples like canned tomatoes, which are reliably fresh year-round.
  • Blending bread and olive oil together gives the soup a creamy texture without any dairy.

Most of us have some sort of nostalgic idea of eating sweet, creamy, canned tomato soup with a side of grilled cheese sandwich, right? I mean, Ineverate tomato soup as a kid, but even I have nostalgia for the stuff. It's something that's just ingrained in the collective conscious as an essential part of childhood, and a flavor combination that as adults we take joy in turning back to.

Well, the canned stuff is all fine and good in my mind, but when I actually taste it these days, the nostalgia disappears in a puff of high fructose corn syrup-scented smoke. Cloyingly sweet and one-dimensional, it's a tough dish to swallow.

The good news:Making excellent tomato soup from scratch at home is almost as easy as simply opening a can, and the return on your minor time investment is significant.

This variation of a tomato soup recipe I first wrote down for Cook's Illustrated a few years ago starts with a sauté of onions, garlic, dried oregano (which, in applications like this, is just as good as fresh), and crushed red pepper in really good olive oil. I use canned tomatoes because we're cooking them anyway, and canned tomatoes are more reliably fresh year-round than actual fresh tomatoes are. Plus, the fact that they're cooked already means that you have little more do to than bring them to a boil before puréeingin a blender.

But where does the creaminess come in?

When push comes to shove, I suppose that this recipe should more aptly be entitled "hot gazpacho" rather than "dairy-free creamy tomato soup," because a hot gazpacho is exactly what it is. If you read mypiece on gazpacho, you'd know that at its heart, gazpacho is really a soup of bread and olive oil, and that's exactly what I use to make this vegan version of creamy tomato soup, well, creamy.

See, when olive oil and a water-based soup come together, they don't exactly like to mix. Oil and water and all that. If you can somehow manage to force the two to come together harmoniously, what you end up with is a creamy, rich liquid that is thicker and richer than either the soup or the olive oil on their own, much in the same way that mayonnaise is thicker than the eggs or oil that comprise it.

The key to getting the olive oil and liquid to emulsify? Sliced bread and a blender. A blender on its own will break down large oil droplets into microscopic ones that get dispersed evenly throughout the soup. But this on its own is not enough; Eventually those microscopic droplets come together and coalesce into visible droplets that turn the soup greasy.Enter bread. Sliced sandwich bread adds plenty of starch and wheat proteins to the soup. Both of these act as physical emulsifiers, both thickening the liquid, and preventing dispersed oil droplets from coalescing and separating from the mix.

A quick whizz in the blender, and you've got a soup that you couldswearhas some dairy richness to it, but with a far more intense, bright flavor than an actual cream soup.

A drizzle of olive oil, a few grinds of black pepper, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, and lunch is served.

February 10, 2012

Recipe Details

15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe

Cook15 mins

Active15 mins

Total15 mins

Serves4to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater

  • 1 small onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup)

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces

  • 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Minced chives, basil, or parsley as garnish

  • Toasted bread or grilled cheese for serving

Directions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, onions, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add bread and tomatoes. Roughly mash tomatoes with a whisk or a potato masher. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

    15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (3)

  2. Transfer half of the soup to the jar of a blender. Blend soup, starting at low speed and gradually increasing to high. With blender running on high, gradually trickle in half of remaining olive oil. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining half of soup and olive oil. Ladle into individual serving bowls, top with minced herbs, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve with toast or grilled cheese.

    15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (4)

Special Equipment

Blender

Notes

Be careful starting up the blender, the soup can shoot out the top. Open the vent and hold a kitchen towel over the lid to prevent blowout.

Read More

  • Serious Entertaining: The Vegan, One Meal Convince-A-Meathead Challenge
  • Serious Entertaining: Grilled Cheese Roll-Ups for a Crowd
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
324Calories
23g Fat
26g Carbs
6g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories324
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g30%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 448mg19%
Total Carbohydrate 26g9%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 66mg330%
Calcium 169mg13%
Iron 2mg11%
Potassium 799mg17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

15-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I substitute for heavy cream in tomato soup? ›

To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.

How do you thicken tomato soup without milk? ›

Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.

How do you thicken creamy tomato soup? ›

How to Thicken Tomato Soup
  1. Add cream. Dairy options high in fat will create a thick and creamy consistency in dishes. ...
  2. Blend the soup. Purée the whole soup or just half of it to add thickness to the dish. ...
  3. Incorporate vegetables. ...
  4. Make a slurry. ...
  5. Reduce the soup. ...
  6. Top the soup with croutons.
Jan 21, 2022

What canned tomato soup is vegan? ›

Vegan Tomato Soup Store Bought(204)

Progresso Vegetable Classics, Hearty Tomato Soup, Gluten Free, 19 oz. Progresso Vegetable Classics, Hearty Tomato Soup, Gluten Free, 19 oz. Progresso Vegetable Classics, Vegetarian Vegetable with Barley Canned Soup, 19 oz.

What is a vegan substitute for heavy cream? ›

A combination of alt milk and cooking oil is another vegan and dairy-free substitute for heavy cream. Olive oil is great if you want that flavor, but vegetable, safflower, or another neutral oil is probably the way to go for most recipes.

Can evaporated milk be substituted for heavy cream? ›

One cup of heavy cream can be replaced with one cup of evaporated milk, or three-quarters of a cup of milk plus one-third of a cup of butter. Editor's note: Evaporated milk lends a slightly toasty, caramel taste, so keep that in mind when adding it to recipes.

What can I put in tomato soup to make it better? ›

10 Simple Ingredients to Add to Tomato Soup
  1. 1) Fresh Rosemary. Kicking off the list is the simplest way to jazz up your tomato soup – fresh herbs. ...
  2. 2) Sauteed Onions. ...
  3. 3) Crispy Bacon. ...
  4. 4) Cream. ...
  5. 5) Chutney. ...
  6. 6) Melted Cheese. ...
  7. 7) Tinned Anchovies. ...
  8. 8) Toasted Pine Nuts.
Mar 21, 2022

Are you supposed to put milk in tomato soup? ›

To 'smooth ' the taste of tomato soup, add a pinch of sugar to lesson the acidity. Milk or a swirl of cream can also be added for a richer flavour.

What happens when milk is added to tomato soup? ›

Tomatoes are very acidic and milk or cream is added to them, curdling can occur. Curdling will be more likely to happen when the ratio of acid to cream increases or when mixing a cold and hot mixture. To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup.

Can I add milk to soup to make it creamy? ›

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half.

Why do you put baking soda in tomato soup? ›

A small pinch of baking soda will tame any unwanted acidity in the soup.

Can you add cream to tomato soup without curdling? ›

Temper the cream first. Add a liitle bit of tomato sauce at a time to the cream until it is warm and then add it all back into the tomato sauce. This will keep it from curdling.

Is Campbell's creamy tomato soup vegan? ›

One of Campbell's most popular options, Condensed Cream of Tomato Soup, is not vegan, because it contains double cream. But if you're in the mood for a steaming bowl of nourishing tomato soup, don't worry! The company can still deliver what you're craving. Campbell's Healthy Request Tomato Soup is totally dairy-free.

What instant soups are vegan? ›

Vegan soups to buy at Tesco
Soup nameIs it vegan?
Bol Garden Pea & Spinach Power Soup 600G Suitable for vegans
Bol Sweet Potato Cauli-Daal Power Soup 600G Suitable for vegans
Tideford Organic Malaysian Coconut & Noodle Soup 600G Suitable for vegans
Tideford Organic Lentil & Spinach Dhal Soup 600G Suitable for vegans
32 more rows
Feb 5, 2024

Does Progresso make vegan soup? ›

Vegetarian & Vegan Soups Range | Canned Soup | Progresso.

How do you thicken tomato soup without heavy cream? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

How do you thicken tomato soup without cream? ›

One of the simplest ways to thicken tomato soup is by adding a starchy ingredient, such as potatoes or rice. You can cook the potatoes or rice separately and add them to the soup, either mashed or whole. Both potatoes and rice contain starch, which will help thicken the soup without adding any additional ingredients.

What is a substitute for 1 cup of heavy cream? ›

If you have butter and milk (whole milk or even half-and-half work best), you can make your own heavy cream substitute. To make 1 cup of heavy cream, melt 1/4 cup of butter and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup milk. This works for most baking or cooking recipes that require heavy cream, but it will not whisk into stiff peaks.

Can I use regular milk instead of heavy cream in soup? ›

Cream and milk can be used as substitutes in soup recipes, but it will affect the texture and flavor of the soup. Milk is a thinner liquid than cream and is generally used to add a creamy texture to soups without the added fat content. It will also give a slightly tangy flavor to the soup.

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