Super rich and creamy Instant Pot Tomato Soup. Made with canned tomatoes for convenience, it's quick & easy to make with minimal washing up. Dinner win!
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I absolutely adore my Easy Tomato Basil Soup but it's made using fresh tomatoes and I don't always have enough on hand to make it. I always have canned tomatoes though, which means that I can make this Instant Pot Tomato Soup any time I get a tomato soup craving. Bonus points for being really quick and easy with minimal clearing up.
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Using an Instant Pot is so convenient. One pot, no watching, just throw it all in, walk away and forget about it. It will even keep the soup warm if you aren't quite ready to eat. And don't worry if you don't have an Instant Pot because I have a regular stove top Vegan Tomato Soup recipe too!
How To Make Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Start by sautéing the onions and garlic right there in the Instant Pot. No extra washing up is going on here today!
Then you quite literally throw everything else in, give it a quick stir, and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then blend it in a blender (in batches if necessary) until silky smooth.
The cashews soften while cooking in the Instant Pot, making them really easy to blend. This produces a really rich and creamy tomato soup without the need to add any cream or milk.
Success Tip - For the very best flavor use good quality canned tomatoes. If you are able to, spending a little more makes a huge difference. San Marzano tomatoes are my favorite.
Tips For Storing
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve my Instant Pot Tomato Soup in a deep bowl with crispy crunchy croutons, a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese, a little fresh basil if there's some in the garden, and a thick slice of sourdough bread or a vegan grilled cheese sandwich to mop it all up.
I have a couple of no yeast quick bread recipes too that work great with soup and can be whipped up really quickly: No Yeast White Bread and Yeast-Free Spelt Bread.
Recipe FAQs
Roasted cashews are harder than raw cashews and don't blend as easily. This means they won't work as well in the recipe.
The sugar is used as a seasoning in this recipe and is a really important addition to tomato-based recipes. It brings out the flavour of the tomatoes, balances the acidity, and really enhances the overall flavour of the soup. I like to use 2 tablespoons. If you aren't sure though, add 1 tablespoon at the beginning, then taste when cooked and add another tablespoon if necessary to balance the flavors.
More Cozy Instant Pot Recipes
Recipe
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Author:Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , or water for oil-free
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 x 28oz (796mls) can crushed tomatoes , (3⅓ cups or 800ml)
- 1 x 6oz (156ml) can tomato paste , (about 10 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ a heaping cup (70 grams) raw cashew nuts , (do not use roasted)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil , (or switch the basil & oregano for Italian seasoning)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons white or cane sugar *
- 5 cups (1200 ml) water
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
My Instant Pot is a 6 quart. If yours is a different size you will need to scale the recipe up or down accordingly.
- Turn on the Instant Pot's saute function and add the olive oil or a few tablespoons of water if you want to make the recipe oil-free. Saute the onions until just starting to turn golden on the edges.
- Turn the Instant Pot off, then add the garlic and allow it to cook in the residual heat for one minute.
- Chop the cashews into small pieces and add them along with all of the other ingredients. Scrape the bottom really well with a metal spoon to get any crusty onions off it, then put the lid on and seal the vent. Set to high pressure for 7 minutes then allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth (you might need to do this in batches). Return the soup to the Instant Pot after blending.
- If you prefer a thinner soup, add hot water gradually until you get the thickness you like. Check seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or sugar if necessary before serving.
NOTES
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Diana says
Indeed a tasty soup made just as recipe reads however I would prefer a creamier soup and will increase the amount of cashews or perhaps potatoes. I added some cooked chunks of potatoes, carrots and onion to this finished soup and paired it with a crusty bread for deliciousness I shared with friends and coworkers.
Sarah says
Lovely! Made mine with the same amount of fresh vine tomatoes and about 1 litre of water. I sprinkle some jaggary on top of my cut tomatoes and caramelise themin the oven for extra flavour. Will deffo make this now and lay off the animal products. Thanks
Gen says
Very good! Loved how creamy it turned out. A little too sweet for me so I will cut back the sugar. Will make it again for sure!
Patrick Phyle says
So simple but so delicious. I know I will never buy canned tomato soup again!
Dakota says
Can I use almond mile for the creaminess
A Virtual Vegan says
It won't be anywhere near as creamy if you use almond milk instead of the cashew nuts. And it will end up a lot thinner unless you adjust the water quantity. I'm personally not a fan of almond milk in soups and savoury sauces either because it's flavour always comes through. It's not neutral enough.
Briana Metzler says
I would like to make this soup on the stove top. I do not have cashews, if I were to use almond milk, could I use 1/2 cup?
Amy says
Delicious soup! So impressed with the rich, creamy texture that the cashews create without any dairy. Very flavorful.
Lisa says
I have a nut allergy, what could I use in place of the cashews? Thank You
A Virtual Vegan says
Hemp seeds would work or maybe soaked sunflower seeds? I think hemp seeds would have the most neutral taste.
Robin says
This was Fantastic. Very easy and very tasty. It’s a keeper
Sheila says
Delicious!
Theresa says
This soup is sooo good! And so easy to make! Thank you!
Debbie. Pritchett says
This soup is amazing! I love using my instant and being vegan this recipe is a real hit . It is so easy. It has such a great tomatoe soup flavor. I do not buy can soup, thank you so much.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Debbie. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
Nina says
Thanks for this fabulous recipe. I live in the UK. I own a Heston Blumenthal Slow Fast Cooker . When cooking on the fast setting I think it is very similar to an Instant Pot. I halved the recipe and used 1 x 14oz tin of organic chopped tomatoes. One tablespoon 15ml tomato puree and 1 tablespoon 15ml sun dried tomato paste. I used 25g raw cashew nuts and 1/2 tablespoon agave syrup. I cooked it on the soup setting. I didn't have any dried basil to hand. I blended it in my Vitamix and then afterwards added a couple of teaspoons of frozen chopped basil leaves. It turned out amazing. I am sure if you served it to anyone they would be convinced it was loaded with butter and cream. Thanks again, only just discovered your site.
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great Nina. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it and that it worked in your Slow Fast Cooker. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Jenny says
I'm not even a vegan but I was searching for healthy tomato soup recipes thought this one sounded interesting. Holy smokes... it is some of the best tomato soup I've ever had! It genuinely does taste creamy, who knew cashews could do that. Followed the recipe exactly (went with 1T of sugar which I think is plenty) in the Instant Pot and used an immersion blender to get it silky smooth. Will absolutely make this again and again. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome Jenny! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Cashews are an absolutely amazing ingredient and a vegan's secret weapon! They make the best creamy sauces and are perfect for adding to soups like this one as you have discovered. I'm really happy you found my recipe and gave it a try and thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Barb says
I was wondering if you can skip the Cashews? Can I use Almond milk instead? I am not eating nuts at the moment as I am on a SOS DIET. No Salt, No Sugar and No Oils.
A Virtual Vegan says
You could skip the cashews. Hemp seeds would work instead if you wanted a nut free option. I'm sure you could also replace some of the broth with plant-based milk too although I haven't tried it myself so can't say for sure how it will fare in an Instant Pot. Perhaps add it at the end to thin the soup out then warm it gently through with the sauté function or on the stove top.
Suee33 says
Made this Tomato Soup last night in the Instant Pot .
One comment and something I will never do again is add the cashews to the Instant Pot - The emersion Blender does not get all of them and can bot get all the tiny pieces, Then transferring ALL the soup to the blender is a real pain. I will hold the cashews out of the IP and blend with some of the soup after the soup has cooked, for an easier process and creamier soup.