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    Home » Recipes » Soup

    Published: Nov 10, 2015 · Modified: Aug 29, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 100 Comments

    Easy Tomato Basil Soup

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    4.75 from 159 votes
    easy tomato basil soup

    The easiest Tomato Basil Soup EVER and it's so fresh & vibrant. Ready in just 10 minutes and made with only 4 ingredients (plus salt, pepper & optional olive oil).

    a bowl of tomato basil soup with cashew cream

    The flavour of this Tomato Basil Soup is fresh, vibrant and pure. The only ingredients are tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil (plus a little seasoning and optional olive oil).

    It's so simple and quick to make. In fact, from start to finish it can be ready in 10 minutes, and as it's cooked so quickly, with no stock, milk or cream added, the amazing fresh flavour of the tomato and basil remains fresh, vibrant and aromatic. It's definitely one of my favourite soup recipes!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Tomato Basil Soup
    • Variations
    • Serving Suggestions
    • How To Store Tomato Basil Soup
    • Tomato Basil Soup Recipe FAQs
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    Ingredients

    Here is what you will be needing to make Tomato Basil Soup:

    ingredients needed to make tomato basil soup

    The ingredients list is very short. We're talking just fresh tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, onion, garlic and seasonings. You can use any variety of fresh tomatoes such as plum tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, cherry, grape, vine, beefsteak etc, or a combination.

    Success Tip - The better the tomatoes you use, the better your soup will taste. This is a great recipe to make when you can use homegrown or local tomatoes in summer.

    How To Make Tomato Basil Soup

    In just 10 minutes and a few simple steps, you could be tucking into a bowl of this fresh and delicious Tomato Basil Soup. It's so quick and easy. Here's how it's done:

    how to make tomato basil soup
    1. Sauté the garlic and onion
    2. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until hot and just starting to break down.
    3. Add the basil and seasoning.
    4. Blend with an immersion blender in the pan or transfer to a blender (if doing this you might need to work in batches). Blend until smooth. There is no need to cook the soup any longer once the basil is added. Certainly don't let it boil or you will lose much of its flavour.

    Success tip - The only liquid you need for this soup comes from the tomatoes. There is no need to add any extra. Cooking the soup this way ensures the flavour stays super fresh and undiluted.

    Variations

    Prefer a creamier tomato bisque-style soup? Stir through a little store-bought vegan cream, light coconut milk, homemade cashew cream or even a little cashew milk just before serving and allow to warm through.

    If you are looking for a creamy tomato soup made from canned tomatoes give my Instant Pot Tomato Soup a try. It includes stove top instructions.

    Serving Suggestions

    Wondering what goes with Tomato Basil Soup? I love to serve mine with a drizzle of vegan cream or good extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper. A side of bread and butter or a grilled cheese sandwich would not go amiss. Other accompaniments that work well include:

    • A scattering of vegan croutons
    • Vegan ricotta or Parmesan cheese
    • A swirl of kale pesto
    • Thick wedges of Miracle No Knead Focaccia, Sourdough or Light Whole Wheat Bread
    • No Yeast White Bread or Yeast-Free Spelt Bread

    How To Store Tomato Basil Soup

    Tomato Basil Soup is great fro meal prep. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat gently in a pan or in a microwave. The soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before heating through.

    Tomato Basil Soup Recipe FAQs

    Do you need to peel and deseed the tomatoes?

    No. Just chop them up and throw them in. By the time it's blended you don't know they are there anyway!

    Can I use canned tomatoes?

    Not for this recipe. It relies on the flavour of the fresh tomatoes too much. The recipe would need a complete overhaul to work well with canned tomatoes. I recommend you try this recipe instead (it says Instant Pot but has stove top instructions too): https://avirtualvegan.com/instant-pot-tomato-soup/

    My fresh tomatoes aren't the best. How can I amp up the flavour?

    I would add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste/puree and 2 to 3 teaspoons of white or cane sugar. Sugar enhances the flavors of food just like salt does and works especially well with tomatoes. It also helps cuts any bitterness. Tomato paste will thicken the soup so you might need to add a drop of water or vegetable broth/stock too.

    Is Tomato Basil Soup good for weight-loss?

    There are only about 280 calories in the entire pan of this soup. It is very low in fat and calories. You can even make it completely fat-free by omitting the olive oil and sautéing the onions and garlic in a drop of water instead. I've been told it works very well for people following Slimming World and Weight Watchers.

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    a bowl of tomato basil soup

    Easy Tomato Basil Soup

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.75 from 159 votes
    The easiest Tomato Basil Soup EVER and it's so fresh & vibrant. Ready in just 10 minutes and made with only 4 ingredients (plus salt, pepper & optional olive oil)! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 10 minutes
    COOK TIME: 10 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil , (for oil-free use a little bit of water)
    • 1 medium onion , diced
    • 3 large cloves garlic , minced
    • 7 cups (49 oz / 1.4 KG) chopped fresh tomatoes , (large, cherry, grape, or a mixture)
    • 1 large handful fresh basil , roughly chopped
    • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt , or to taste
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Put the oil in a large pan and heat on medium.
    • Once the oil is hot add the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and just starting to turn golden on the edges. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the tomatoes are simmering and just starting to break down. The smaller the tomato pieces, the quicker this will happen. Larger chunks might take a couple minutes more.
    • Remove from the heat and add the basil, salt and pepper then blend with an immersion blender in the pan, or transfer to a blender, blend then return to the pan for a minute or two to warm up again.
    • Serve immediately.

    NOTES

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat gently in a pan or in a microwave.
    Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before heating through gently. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 788mgPotassium: 587mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1948IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. June says

      October 24, 2022 at 5:28 am

      5 stars
      Quick to make, very tasty, brilliant, able to use up a glut of tomatoes

      Reply
    2. Nathalie says

      September 28, 2022 at 3:48 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious!! I used six containers (pints?) of grape tomatoes. The flavors and texture are perfect! Will definitely make this again!

      Reply
    3. Dawn says

      September 11, 2022 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      I used tomatoes from my garden I had frozen. I slipped the peels off the tomatoes, squeezing them into a bowl. I ended up with about 9 cups of tomatoes so I used a large onion and four cloves of garlic. I cooked the soup for about 15 minutes using an immersion blender to make it smooth. I then added salt and pepper and a can of coconut cream. Tore some fresh basil from my garden over the soup before serving. It is a fantastic soup and so simple. Looking forward to making it many times before the tomatoes disappear. Next time, I may roast the tomatoes first for a deeper tomato flavor.

      Reply
    4. Maddie M says

      December 16, 2021 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      I just made this and it was so quick and easy! I wanted a fast vegan tomato soap but all of the others ones took more than an hour. I did not put the onions (not a big fan) and it was still amazing! This is now going to be one of my go-to recipes for soup

      Reply
    5. Kara Jueckstock says

      November 23, 2021 at 5:46 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night and was shocked!! I can't believe I have been suffering with canned tomato soup for so long when this is so easy to make and flavorful!! The thing that took me the longest was chopping everything and waiting for the tomatoes to break down, but it was a very low-effort dish that turned out delicious. I will never be buying canned tomato soup ever again!

      It was a bit thick, so I did add some chicken broth about halfway through the breakdown process and it worked out to have a really nice consistency.

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
    6. Lisa says

      September 22, 2021 at 6:58 am

      5 stars
      I roasted the ingredients except for basil, it gave it more flavour will definitely make it again

      Reply
    7. Teresa Jesionowski says

      September 08, 2021 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      I made this soup several times this summer. It is excellent. It was especially good with a blend of heirloom tomatoes from my sister-in-law's garden. I also froze 9 cups of this soup for winter. Thanks so much for a great recipe. Also I went oil-free and used an immersion blender. Thanks again!

      Reply
    8. Nancy says

      September 02, 2021 at 9:22 am

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious. Doubled the garlic because that is what we like. Thanks for posting this recipe!

      Reply
    9. Noelle Mesa says

      August 17, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe! I just found it abs I made it for my husband tonight for dinner and he absolutely loved it 😍 I didn’t use oil at all to sauté so this was oil free. I couldn’t tell the difference and usually tomato soups use cream to make it creamy but I found using my Vitamix made it creamy and smooth just fine. I love how easy and quick this recipe was and the few ingredients needed. Well done!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        August 17, 2021 at 4:57 pm

        I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
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    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

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