Vegan Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Vegan Tomato Soup
A simple plant-based tomato soup simmered with garlic and vegetable broth, finished with fresh basil for a bright, herby comfort-food bowl.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3
Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with a spoon, then add the vegetable broth and sugar.
- 4
Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors deepen.
- 5
Stir in the chopped basil and remove from the heat.
- 6
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth, or blend in batches in a stand blender.
- 7
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional fresh basil.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
73/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving65
Calories
6 g
Protein
11 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Vegan tomato soup swaps out the cream a traditional version might use for body, relying instead on the tomatoes themselves, cooked down and blended, to carry the soup's texture. Garlic and basil round out what is otherwise a very short ingredient list built around one central flavor.
Listahan note
This version cooks the garlic gently in oil before the tomatoes go in rather than adding it raw, since garlic added directly to a simmering soup without first being softened in fat can taste sharp rather than mellow.
Technique cues
- Cook the garlic over medium-low heat in oil just until fragrant and lightly golden, not browned, since burnt garlic turns bitter and that bitterness carries through the whole pot of soup.
- Simmer the tomatoes with the vegetable broth for a good stretch of time, letting them break down fully, since a shorter simmer leaves the soup tasting more like warmed tomatoes than a developed soup.
- Blend the soup until fully smooth if a silky texture is wanted, using an immersion blender directly in the pot or transferring carefully to a stand blender in batches.
- Add the fresh basil near the end of cooking or blend it in with the final soup, rather than simmering it the whole time, since basil turns dull and loses its bright aroma with extended heat.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Vegan Tomato Soup finishes with the vegetable broth — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. The roast step is what sets the pace here.
- Make-ahead
- Vegan Tomato Soup reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the vegetable broth. The roast step is what sets the pace here.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Vegan Tomato Soup reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which can dry out a dish reheated this way faster than a covered, gentler reheat. This one leans on the vegetable broth. Everything else is quick — the roast is the one step that takes real time.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Vegan Tomato Soup with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the vegetable broth. Everything else is quick — the roast is the one step that takes real time.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Tomatoes
Acid and brightness
Purpose: Tomatoes balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
garlic
Aromatic base
Purpose: garlic creates the savory foundation before stronger ingredients are added.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
vegetable broth
Flavor support
Purpose: vegetable broth supports the balance of Vegan Tomato Soup and should taste integrated.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
basil
Flavor support
Purpose: basil supports the balance of Vegan Tomato Soup and should taste integrated.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
Technique notes
- Taste the soup after blending and adjust salt, since blending concentrates the flavors and a soup that tasted balanced before pureeing can taste flat afterward if under-seasoned.
- A drizzle of good olive oil swirled on top just before serving adds richness without needing any dairy.
- The soup keeps well in the fridge for several days and often tastes even better the next day, once the tomato and garlic flavors have had time to settle.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use a low-sodium or no-salt-added version of the vegetable broth, then season to taste with fresh herbs, citrus, or vinegar at the end instead of more salt. This one's done in around 45 minutes, plated for 4. It belongs squarely to the Vegan table. Just 7 ingredients get this one to the table.
- Weeknight shortcut
- For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the vegetable broth. Clock it at close to 45 minutes to feed 4. This one is rooted in Vegan cooking. It runs 7 ingredients start to finish.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Pickled vegetables
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with citrus
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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