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.
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!
Kathy says
Suzy, I’ve made this when tomatoes were in season and WOW! It’s always a hit. Tomatoes here in Ohio are horrible this time of the year and my mouth is watering for this soup...could you tell me what kind of canned and the amount of canned tomatoes to use as a substitute for fresh. I assume they should be drained?
You’re the best EVER....and I sooo appreciate you😀
Robin A St Germain says
Hi there,
How much dried basil should I use? Thank you!
Suzy says
Hi, Robin! I have never personally tried this one with dried basil, so it's hard for me to give a recommendation. I really suggest using fresh basil here, though, for the best result.
Connie says
I never liked tomato soup until I made this one. I’ve decided to make at least one of your recipes every week until I’ve tried them all.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Suzy says
Awesome! Thanks so much, Connie!
Mary Ellen says
Prefect!!! So good and easy! Love it!!!
Suzy says
Thanks, Mary Ellen!
Karli Fischbein says
Thank you for this incredibly delicious recipe 🙏💕
Made this for me and my 8 year old son with some avocado toast on Medical Medium's recipe for vegan, gluten free bread and we were SOOOOO satisfied on this cold winter night.
Suzy says
Awesome! So glad you both enjoyed it!
Kacey says
So delicious! I prefer mine smooth so I blend it and add more water but this is perfect to make on the weekend and have for a quick meal through the week. Thank you!
Suzy says
Thanks, Kacey!
Anastasia says
Suzy, thank you once again for an incredible recipe. This was the BEST tomato soup that I have ever tasted !! I roasted my tomatoes & jalapeno the day before, so all was ready to put together today. I used a bit more olive oil to sauté the onions & garlic (this must be the Greek in me). And I used smoked paprika, rather than sweet paprika.
And, oh boy, was this ever a hit on a cold autumn day. I served it with a fresh baguette & Dodonis feta, of course, there is simply no other feta !!
Suzy says
Sounds wonderful, Anastasia! Thanks for sharing!
Suzy says
Wow! Thank you so much Anastasia!!
Helen says
I saw this on Facebook a few days ago and had to try it. Once I roasted the tomatoes with the olive oil, salt & pepper I couldn’t help but taste the oils left over in the pan! I had it all ?! The rest is history! This is by far one of my favourite soups I have ever tasted. Easy and absolutely delicious. Love your work! Oh and I’ve had tried Briam too. I’m Greek so I had to try this and omg just amazing with feta ? has to be Dodoni feta though!
Suzy says
Awesome, Helen!! Thanks so much for giving it a try! Glad it was a winner for you :).
Anita says
This is the best tomato soup ever ! We have an abundance of fresh garden produce, and I searched for tomato ideas, and found this recipe. I am so glad I did. I used 6 different varieties of tomatoes, including 3 heirlooms. I roasted 2 full sheet pans of tomatoes and a few carrots. I didnt need to add water as the heirloom tomatoes are so juicy. The spices you chose are perfect and the soup is creamy and delicious and vegan! I love your videos and your recipes. Your homemade hummus is absolutely delicious. Thanks for another winning recipe !
Suzy says
What a tomato variety! Sounds wonderful!!! Thanks, Anita!
Alli says
This soup is the BEST! Believe the hype!
Suzy says
Thanks, Alli!
Matt Taylor says
I love homemade tomato soup, so much better than canned. I will have to give this a try!
Suzy says
I agree! Homemade is sooooo much better than the canned stuff :). Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Beth says
Yummy! This soup is so delicious and yummy! My family and I love this recipe! I will definitely be making this again!
Suzy says
Awesome! Thanks, Beth!
Gina says
This soup was incredible. Definitely making again!
Suzy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Gina!
wilhelmina says
Soup just doesn't get any better than this! I love making this with my fresh garden tomatoes, SO GOOD!
Suzy says
Fresh tomatoes!! YUM! 🙂
Toni Dash says
Everyone at my house loved this soup!! So comforting and delicious!
Suzy says
Wonderful! Thanks, Toni!
Laura says
This is perfect for all the fresh garden tomatoes!! Definitely pinning this for soup season too! Thanks for sharing!
Suzy says
MY pleasure, Lauren! Hope you enjoy it!
Lauren Kelly says
Oh my word, this is DELICIOUS!! The flavor is outstanding!
Suzy says
Thanks, Lauren!
Izzi says
This soup is completely wonderful! Thick and hearty, full of favor, with some homemade bread it was a satisfying dinner. The next day I served the leftovers as a chilled soup for lunch and, even cold, it was sooo good. Such a great recipe.
Suzy says
So glad you enjoyed it!
ballardsmith says
SUZI you are the GREATIST
Suzy says
Awww! Thank you so much!
Natasha says
Loved the flavor profile in this recipe and a splash of lime juice just before serving adds a perfect final touch. I made a large batch and froze in portion sizes the rest. Now, I have a healthy meal I can have at work or on a day I don't want to cook at home.
Suzy says
Great idea!!
Stacey says
I so this recipe in my email this morning and I am not a big tomato soup person, though I do LOVE soups for work days, but this recipe captured my attention with the roasted tomatoes and carrots. It is cooking now and I had to have a taste. PERFECT!! The flavors are wonderful and using fresh garden tomatoes, basil and thyme adds even more to this dish. Thank you.
Suzy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Stacey!!