Yes, you can have a rich, absolutely delicious, to-die-for roasted tomato basil soup that is vegan, gluten-free, and Mediterranean diet-approved! Layers of goodness and flavor in this easy vegan tomato soup, from fresh herbs like basil and thyme, to aromatics, sweet roasted carrots, and a couple warm spices.
Make a large batch to freeze for later! Be sure to grab my tips and watch the video below to see how I make this tomato soup!
I'm not much of a snob when it comes to tomato soup or tomato bisque, which are not the same thing, by the way. But, like most people, I do have a favorite and it is, by far, this vegan tomato basil soup.
Next to my simple Italian minestrone, this roasted tomato basil soup is the perfect transition into fall! Actually, I'll eat this soup year-round really.
And good news is, you can make a larger batch to freeze and enjoy later (I have all the details below!)
What is the difference between tomato soup and tomato bisque?
One basic question but could be helpful to cover here is the difference between tomato bisque and tomato soup. A traditional bisque would involve shellfish stock (like lobster or crab stock), and you would use some sort of cream to enrich it. But this is not the case with tomato soup, which would rely on vegetable or chicken stock and would not require cream.
I don't use any cream whatsoever, but this creamy vegan tomato soup is every bit as rich and flavorful.
Vegan roasted tomato basil soup!
There is so much I love about this roasted tomato basil soup. First, this is a heart-healthy, Mediterranean diet-approved tomato soup. Vegan. Gluten free. And it's pretty much, as my teenage kid would say, "flavor bomb!"
The flavoring process begins immediately with roasting our tomatoes as the base for this awesome soup. If you've been reading this blog for a time, you've probably seen my simple roasted tomatoes (so worth a try, btw) and know how much I love them! Tomatoes are just that much sweeter and deeper in flavor when roasted, so this first, easy step is so important.
But, another secret ingredient here is roasted carrots. I use just a couple of carrots to add another note of sweet earthiness.
Then, we have garlic and onions, and a combination of fresh herbs (basil and thyme) and spices (dry oregano, cumin and paprika) to layer on all the goodness.
The finishing touches are just as important to me. I love adding a splash of lime juice to kinda wake everything up and a generous drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil--I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO--which gives this tomato soup a rich, luxurious finish that you won't miss the heavy cream whatsoever (more on this later.)
How do you make vegan tomato soup from scratch?
1. Toss tomato halves and carrots with some awesome extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil) and season with Kosher salt and pepper. (Doing this in a large mixing bowl helps ensure that all the tomatoes and carrots get coated well with the olive oil.)
Spread evenly on a large sheet pan and roast in high-heated oven (450 degrees F) for about 30 minutes or so. Let cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place the cooled roasted tomatoes and carrots in the large bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade. Add a tiny bit of water (not more than ¼ cup)
2. b) Blend, baby, blend...till you reach a creamy consistency.
3. Now, gab a large cooking pot (I like to use something heavy like a cast iron Dutch oven). Heat a bit of extra virgin olive oil and get your onions cooking, then add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
From there, pile on the goodness! Add in the roasted tomato and carrot mixture, crushed tomatoes (from can), water, basil, thyme, oregano, cumin, and paprika (so much flavor!)
Bring this party to a boil, then cover partway and let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. (Pour yourself some wine and enjoy the amazing smells happening in your kitchen!!!)
A few finishing touches!
Just a few finishing touches take this vegan tomato soup to a new level of delicious. These are all totally optional, but do make a difference:
- Add a splash of citrus! Once you transfer the hot soup to serving bowls, add a splash of lime juice. This will brighten up the soup and round out its flavor.
- Add a generous drizzle of a high quality extra virgin olive oil. Since I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil in cooking it, I do finish it with the same exquisite oil to add depth and a luxurious velvety finish! Or, if you have some homemade basil pesto, spoon some on top of your soup!
- To serve, grilled crusty bread! Slice up some of your favorite crusty bread and give it a brush on both sides with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Heat a skillet or griddle and grill the bread on one side until it firms up and turns a nice golden color, then turn over and grill on the other side briefly.
- How about some fried goat cheese on top? I serve this tomato soup with crispy fried goat cheese coated in a savory za'atar spice blend. It's my version of a tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich situation, Mediterranean-style.
Can you freeze tomato soup?
YES! Lucky for us, since this is a vegan tomato basil soup and there is no dairy or any cream (not even cashew cream) involved, it will freeze well!
So, if you have ample supply of tomatoes, you can totally make an extra batch or two of this soup to freeze for later use (should keep 3 to 6 months if properly frozen.) Make sure the soup has completely cooled off before pouring into freezer-safe containers. I like to divide this soup up into smaller containers or freezer bags, that way, it's easy to pull out just what you need.
Thaw in the fridge overnight, and use medium heat to warm up (you may need to add a little more liquid.)
Variations
- If you prefer a super smooth tomato basil soup, you can add a little more liquid to your soup and carefully use an immersion blender, before you serve, to blend everything some more.
- To add a bit of a deeper, smoky finish, add a good pinch of smoked paprika
- And if you're into spicy, you can roast a couple jalapeno peppers with the tomatoes and carrots and blend them in as part of the soup base.
Have More Tomatoes to Use Up?
Check out my 15 Mediterranean Fresh Tomato Recipes that are NOT salad!
More Soup Recipes to Try:
Greek Avgolemono: Lemon Chicken Soup
50+ Top Mediterranean diet recipes. For all recipes, visit us here. JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST HERE.
Easy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb Roma tomatoes halved
- 2 to 3 carrots peeled and cut into small chunks
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 oz fresh basil leaves
- 3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs 2 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 ½ cups water
- Splash of lime juice optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes and carrot pieces. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread well in one layer. Roast in heated oven for about 30 minutes. When ready, remove from the heat and set aside for about 10 minutes to cool.
- Transfer the roasted tomatoes and carrots to the large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Add just a tiny bit of water and blend.
- In a large cooking pot, heat 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook briefly until golden.
- Pour the roasted tomato mixture into the cooking pot. Stir in crushed tomatoes, 2 ½ cups water, basil, thyme and spices. Season with a little kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover part-way. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
- Remove the thyme springs and transfer tomato basil soup to serving bowls. If you like, add a splash of lime juice and a generous drizzle of extra virgihttps://shop.themediterraneandish.com/product/extra-virgin-olive-oil-bundle/n olive oil. Serve with your favorite crusty bread or grilled pieces of French baguette. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, you can refrigerate in tight-lid glass containers for 3 to 4 days. Make sure the soup is completely cooled before storing.
- Can you freeze this tomato basil soup? YES! Because this is a dairy-free vegan tomato basil soup and there is no cream involved at all, it is the perfect tomato soup to freeze. Simply cool the soup before storing in tight-lid, freezer-safe containers. Freeze for later use (3 to 6 months or so.) Thaw in fridge overnight and use medium heat to warm up.
- Variations: If you're looking for a bit of a smoky finish, add a good pinch of smoked paprika. Or, to spice things up, roast some jalapeno pepper and blend them along with the tomatoes and carrots.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including spices and extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe.
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2019 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers' benefit. Enjoy!
Easy to follow instructions with an outstanding finished dish. The only thing I added was 1/2 teaspoon of guram masala at the end of cooking [cuz I'm Indian] - thank you so much for sharing, will make it again!
This recipe is so delicious , this time of year winter - fresh tomatoes are not great, can I use whole romas from the can or any suggestions
Hi, Joan. I have not personally made this with canned tomatoes. It will probably work in a pinch, but you wouldn't get that same deep flavor that would come from roasting fresh tomatoes. If you give it a try, though, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Easy and delicious
This looks so good. If this serves 6 ppl, what is one serving size. I’m following the Weight Watchers and need to know the serving size. Thanks.
Hi, Jennie. Thanks for reaching out! The whole recipe can be divided by 6 to get the "serving size". The nutrition info here is our best effort and we use a program that calculates that for us based on the ingredient list. Unfortunately, the exact serving size measurement (by cups, etc) is another layer that's harder for us to precisely calculate at this time.
So delicious! Added a tablespoon of Asian chili garlic sauce for some heat and a tiny bit of sugar to cut the acidic taste. SOOOOOOOO good!
And guilt free:)
Great idea for some extra pizzazz! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this soup 3 times and every time it just gets better. It’s my go to soup. I love it and so easy to make
Delicious, I NEVER LIKED tomato soup until this!!!! Wow, so good will try again but making it a little spicy as suggested:)
Yay! So glad to hear it, Bertie!
Made this twice now and loved it. Shared with my neighbors and we all found it delicious and filling.
Absolutely delicious! will make this very often 😀
In the video it looks like you add about a cup of onion… But in the recipe it says two onions. I am worried I’m adding too many is the recipe correct?
Hi, Marcia. I typically use the 2 medium onions, but you can certainly reduce that, if you feel it might be too much. This is an ingredient you can definitely play with to suit your taste!
I made this soup tonight for dinner. I have to say, this is by far the best tasting tomato basil soup I’ve ever had in my life! So delicious and healthy! Thank you so much… I will definitely be making a lot more of this!
Yay! Thanks, Cindy!
If I could give this soup 10 stars I would! My husband went back for seconds and said it was absolutely remarkable and the best soup I've ever made. I have to agree with him. The only thing I did differently was roast the onions with the tomatoes and carrots. Thank you for posting your recipe. We will be making this for years to come.
Wonderful! Thanks, Paula!
Thank you for this. I went a little crazy at the farm stand with tomatoes last week and had a remaining 4 lb on their way out. I figured I would look for a soup recipe and stumbled on this one.
Just a few modifications:
I had some homemade veggie stock in the fridge and used that in lieu of water.
I quartered the onion and when I placed the tomatoes and carrots in the oven, I put a tray of onions on the top rack. When I removed the tomatoes and carrots after 30 min, I put the oven on High Broil for 5 min to get a char on the baked onion. I then blended the vegetable stock, tomato, carrots, onion, and basil all together in a high speed blended. (The onion prepped this way makes the soup creamier from the baked onion and less fatty as you don’t need to use oil on the onion.)
I sauteed the garlic until fragrant and golden in the pot and poured the blended vegetable mixture in along with a 14oz can of low sodium diced tomato, dried seasonings, fresh thyme sprigs, a little sugar (how my Italian grandma cooks tomatoes to cut the acidity).
I then brought soup to a slow boil and then placed on LOW for 60-75 minutes (helps break down the tomato skins the longer you cook them).
Then I grinded the basil stems in olive oil (no waste!!) and drizzled the mixture in the center of a cut baguette, wrapped in foil, and placed in the warm oven for 15-20 min.
Garlic basil bread and tomato basil soup!
Thanks for the inspiration!!! It turned out amazing!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle! Thank you for taking the time to share your process!